


Unfinished Business

by E_S_K_1990



Category: Twin Peaks
Genre: Alternate Dimension, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-07-27 16:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 34,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16223303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E_S_K_1990/pseuds/E_S_K_1990
Summary: "Just as my view started to fade away, I caught a glimpse of a tall figure, dressed in a black tailored suit, standing at the far end of the room, hands in his pockets, facing the window."Carrie Sanders was captivated by Special Agent Dale Cooper, but she was just a spectator of the Twin Peaks universe...until she wasn't.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is first and foremost a love story. Twin Peaks and all of it's characters provide the setting.
> 
> This story begins sometime near the end of season one. I do diverge from canon for the most part, but keep bits and pieces of the original story.
> 
> The setup of this story does require the reader to suspend their disbelief briefly, as it is a very unique situation, but I've had the idea floating around my head for quite awhile, and have been dying to get it out. It's been a blast to write and I hope you enjoy it!

The aged pine floors creaked under my feet as I made my way slowly down the warmly lit hallway. The smell of mingling French toast and coffee was wafting from the dining room behind me. I’d made this walk, night after night, and it was always the same. I counted the numbers on the doors as I walked, 309, 310, 311… I was getting close now, but I knew it would end the same. I would never make it to my destination. 312, 313… Regardless of my knowledge of the eventual outcome, I could feel the tension growing in my stomach. I was so close. I looked to the right and saw the number 314 and then turned my head to the left, and there it was, 315, carved into the small wooden plate nailed to the center of the door. My heart leapt. Now, if only I could just stay coherent a bit longer. I took the 2 steps towards the door and placed my hand on the cool brass doorknob. I began to turn it, and much to my pleasure, it was unlocked, but then again, it always was. I felt the latch release, and I took a deep breath as I pushed the door ever so slowly, trying to keep myself in the moment. But I could feel it, my mind was leaving this place, this state of consciousness. Just as my view started to fade away, I caught a glimpse of a tall figure, dressed in a black tailored suit, standing at the far end of the room, hands in his pockets, facing the window. And then my eyes flew open. I saw my bedroom ceiling and immediately squeezed my eyes closed again, trying to will my dream to return. Trying to dive back into it. But it was no use, I was awake now. The dream was no longer a reality, only a tiny, faint memory. I let out a large sigh, and brought my hands to my face, massaging my temples and then rubbing my eyes. I lay there, staring at my ceiling silently. I’d lost count of how many times I’d experienced this dream. Every night for the last few months, I’d dreamed of a slow and meticulous walk through the Great Northern hotel, with room 315 as my destination. I had never made it inside though. Some nights, I only made it to the door. Others, like today, I was able to keep myself in the dream long enough to see his figure briefly inside the room. It was endlessly frustrating.  
  
I wasn’t sure why I was having this dream constantly, or why I was never able to make it inside the room. What I did deduct, however, was that I must be watching WAY too much Twin Peaks. I shook my head, trying to brush off the dream. But now Special Agent Dale Cooper’s face came to my mind, not from any dream memory, as I had never made it that far, but from my own wakeful memory. I had admitted to myself weeks ago that I did have quite the school girl crush on that man. It was something I didn’t share with anyone else, apart from a few passing comments to my good friend Rose. There was something about his character that really enticed me. The combination of David Lynch’s writing and Kyle Maclachlan’s portrayal of Agent Cooper’s character just hit me in all the right spots. I felt myself swooning every time he showed up onscreen. He was intelligent and witty, yet wonderfully quirky. I could see his gentle nature, balanced by his sense of authority when he needed to get the job done. All of these things combined just made my heart melt for him. But I laughed to myself at the absurdity of the situation. To have such strong feelings for a fictional character was a bit pathetic in my opinion. I’d find myself daydreaming about his piercing eyes or perfectly coiffed hair, or the way he smiled when he heard something he enjoyed. His smile was so contagious…

And with that, I sat up in bed, took a deep breath, and tried to clear my mind. It was time to join the real world and leave my little fantasy behind. At least until my inevitable upcoming dream that night. I rubbed my forehead, anticipating the frustration that I knew I would encounter again. I raised my arms above my head and stretched, feeling my muscles and joints come to life.  Looking out my window at the street in front of my apartment building, I saw a neighbor opening the door to his car, about the head to work. My head began to clear, bringing my back to reality. I stood up and made my way to the bathroom. Facing the mirror, I looked at myself, hair disheveled and traces of makeup under my eyes. I laughed and shook my head. Even if Agent Cooper was real, what would he think of this face? “Even if he was real” I groaned and turned away to undress and step into the shower. How pathetic was I that I was incapable of extinguishing my attraction to a completely made up person? It wasn’t even a case where I could shift my attraction to the actual real live breathing actor who played his character. Of course I found Kyle Maclachlan attractive, but he also wasn’t Cooper. He was just a man who said the lines and made the faces. In my mind, I commended him on his work, but really didn’t have much interest in him otherwise. It was impossible for him to have the heart of gold that his character did.

I stood under the stream of hot water for a few extra unnecessary moments, because my mind again wandered to Agent Cooper’s face. What would happen if I was ever able to continue my dream? Would I finally enter the room? Would he turn around and flash his million dollar smile my way? Would I walk towards him as he closed the distance toward me? Would his arms grasp my waist? Would my hands wrap around his neck? Would he lean his face down to mine as I looked deep into his hazel eyes?  
  
I shut the water off, putting an end to my fantasy once again. As many times as I’d dreamt about that hallway and that room, I’d also fantasized about what might happen if I were able to stay in the dream. Sometimes I let my mind continue to wander, but today, I shut it down. I had real life activities to attend to. I had a big meeting this morning with the head of the accounting department at my company. 8am sharp, and we all needed to be present. I was new to the company, as of about 6 months, and I wasn’t about to create a bad reputation for myself.

I chose a red pencil skirt and a white blouse, curled my hair to a loose wave and applied a touch of mascara and blush, just enough to accentuate my facial features. I was lucky enough to have a clear complexion, full lips and long lashes. I didn’t need much makeup to feel presentable in public. At 27, my face was still youthful, but in my mind, I had the wisdom of someone my age, or even a bit older. I always felt my inner maturity surpassed those around me of the same age.

I grabbed a breakfast bar, locked the door behind me and jumped in my car. I was lucky enough to live only ten minutes from my office. Not enough time for my mind to dive back into my fantasies. I pulled into the parking lot and noticed my good friend Rose getting out of her car nearby. She smiled and made her way over to me as I grabbed my bag out of the back seat.

“Hey Carrie, how was the dream last night?”  She asked, half concerned and half amused by my obsessive brain behavior.

I rolled my eyes. “Same thing, got as far as opening the door again.” I knew she thought my mental state was amusing, which I understood. But she also could never understand just how strong my feelings were for a fictional character. She’d never experienced it.

“You think one of these nights he’d have the nerve to at least turn around.” She giggled. “Maybe you should leave a note for him next time, addressed ‘My Special Agent.’”

I rolled my eyes. “You know full well I have no control other than walking towards the door. Leaving a note is out of the question.” A small smile crossed my face as I realized the absurdity of our conversation.

“Ah, well he doesn’t know what he’s missing.” Rose replied, gesturing towards me.

I cracked a grin. In my mind, his hands were on me again, his face just inches from mine…

“So, what do you think this meeting is about?” Rose changed the subject and I was abruptly pulled from my thoughts.

“I have no idea, it seemed pretty important from the call.” The instructions had been simply to meet in our large conference room at 8am sharp. The call came in late last night.

Rose and I dropped our things off at our desks and made our way down the hallway to the conference room. I had a brief flashback to my dream, paralleling this walk to that walk, heading towards a room, unsure of the outcome. A few of our coworkers had already assembled in the room and were chattering amongst themselves. Instead of a large table surrounded by chairs, as the room was usually arranged, there were 3 rows of chairs facing a large television that had been wheeled in.

“Well this is different” Rose said as we took our seats near the back of the room.

It all seemed a bit strange to me. What would we be watching? Maybe it was just a new office safety video. I was sure it must be something simple like that. I sat back and prepared myself for boredom I was about to experience.

I looked around the room, everyone seemed to be there, and the clock read 7:59. Our accounting manager then stepped into the room. She looked visibly nervous, but I didn’t think much of it. She stepped up to the front of the room and placed her hand on the television cart and took a breath.

“Good morning. Thank you all for making it here on time.” She looked around at us and took another breath.” As I’ve called you all here, so have the other departments been called to their own conference rooms. This request was made to us last night by our CEO. I do not have all of the details, but I do believe that this request was made to him by higher officials. I have been instructed to turn on the local news at 8:05 and we will all watch together.”

As she spoke, a million thoughts flooded my mind. This was serious. Our entire company was asked to watch this at the same time? Was this local, or was this news across the state? The country? Had there been some sort of terrorist attack? Was the president dead? There were millions of possibilities crossing my mind. I looked over at Rose, who’s eyes were wide, watching as our manager turned on the television.

The screen flickered to life and she switched to the local news station. On the screen, in large red letters was “BREAKING NEWS: Stay Tuned.” The room was silent as we watched the words, static on the screen. I looked at the clock, it was 8:05. Suddenly, the words disappeared and the screen was filled with the image of our president, George H. W. Bush. His face was stern, and he had a stack of papers in front of him. His hands shook.

“Citizens of the United States, good morning.” He began. “I know it is incredibly early for some of you on the west coast, and we appreciate your attention. I must have you note that this message is being simultaneously announced by other leaders around the world, regardless of the time differences. We have important information to release to you.”

This was worldwide… I sat up in my chair, eyes locked to the screen, terrified of what I was about to hear.

He continued. “This is an announcement that we, together as leaders, have been planning for many weeks. However, it has now become quite urgent. I caution you that what I am about to tell you will be best addressed with your patience and cooperation.” The tension in the room was palpable. “Months ago, at a nuclear test site in Washington state, scientists discovered what we believe to be a tear in space time.” The room gasped. “Since then, we, the United States, along with scientists from around the world, have been working around the clock to fix this tear, which is continuing to grow. While we have been unsuccessful at this point, we have discovered the next step in the process, and we need your help.”

I was beginning to feel faint. What did this “tear in space time” mean for us? Was the universe going to implode? What did they need OUR help with? The room was silent, but I noticed many had hands clasped over their mouths in awe. I used to live in Washington. I didn’t know of any nuclear test sites there.

“You may wonder what is on the other side.” He took a breath, preparing to say something important. “We have discovered a parallel dimension, similar to our own, but also vastly different.” The room gasped again. “Beyond this tear or ‘gate’ as we frequently refer to it, lies another Earth. This Earth appears to have evolved identically to ours, however all of its inhabitants are unique. For example, you would not find another ‘you’ in this dimension.” The president took another breath. This was something out of a science fiction novel. There was no way this was happening to us. It was impossible, I thought. The president continued. “We have discovered, through communicating and working with the government in this other dimension, which we are calling Dimension 2, what we believe to be the cause of the gate opening.” He took a deep breath. “Strong forces are what cause reactions to take place. Through extensive research, we have come to the conclusion that one of our Earthly citizens possesses such a strong pull towards this other dimension, that the gate was opened. We believe there is unfinished business in Dimension 2 that must be completed by a citizen from our own. We have devised a system to identify this person. We were able to collect a blood sample from a group of citizens in Dimension 2 and there are unique qualities found in these samples that differs from anything we have seen on our Earth. Using a blood sample and comparing it to the blood of the citizens from Dimension 2, we will identify the individual who has caused this gate to open. This individual did not open the gate on their own accord, but rather, because of a strong pull towards this Dimension 2, the gate was opened to allow them in.”

Everyone in our room gaped in awe. _Allow them in?_ Did he mean someone would be required to pass through this “gate” and into this other dimension? This was all so over my head. I couldn’t imagine what that person would feel when they discovered that they were the chosen individual. The pressure on them would be so intense to make this journey for the safety of our entire universe. I felt immense nervousness for this person. My mind scrambled trying to comprehend it all.

“This individual will be asked to enter Dimension 2, and will then be assisted by government officials there to figure out what the unfinished business is. At some point, the tear will begin to close, and at that point, the individual will be brought back through the gate, the tear will fully heal, and our universe will continue to behave normally.” He shuffled his papers and then looked back at the camera. “We are aware that this is an extreme task required of this individual and we, as well as future generations will be forever grateful for the bravery that is essential. Before I explain the process by which we will test blood samples, I would like to add a bit more detail to this case.” How could there be _more_? I thought to myself, but he continued speaking. “Many of you are aware of this other dimension without even knowing it.” I looked around the room. Who could know about this? But I supposed they wouldn’t comprehend anyway. “In order to familiarize our Earth on this other dimension, we have broadcast a television show filmed in Dimension 2 for the last few months. This television show has been broadcast to you as fiction, but is actually a documentary in reality, of this other dimension. Everything the you see occurring on screen is complete truth.” My mind sifted through the television shows I’d seen on TV in the last few months, trying to figure out which show it might be. It stopped on a specific show, but I passed it off quickly as I knew my mind would go there regardless.

“You may wonder how a show broadcast as fiction, with actors and writers, could possibly actually be a documentary from another dimension. You question how the actors exist if they aren’t really in the ‘show.’ The art of makeup and clever advertising has allowed the media to use very similar looking individuals to pose as the actors at public events. These ‘actors’ are not who you see on screen. Those on screen are very real people from Dimension 2.” If I weren’t so shocked by the enormousness of this announcement, I would have scoffed at the fact that the media was indeed fooling us all along. “The television show, which has gained much popularity, and many of you have likely seen is…” I could feel the room brace for impact as they waited in curiosity. “Twin Peaks.”


	2. Chapter 2

I just about fell off my chair. The room spun for a moment as I tried to comprehend what was being told to me. A few “ohh’’s” and “wow’s” emitted from the room and my collogues digested the fact that a popular television show was in fact a real story. But their amazement didn’t compare in the slightest to the amount of awe this put me in. It was all true. Sherriff Truman, Audrey Horne, Leeland Palmer… my Special Agent Dale Cooper…  They were all real. The president had paused, likely allowing for reactions from those around the world watching. I stared blankly at the television set, in a trance, realizing that someone who I believed to be a figment of some writer’s imagination, was indeed a real man. The emotions engulfed me as I realized that someone I adored so much was actually a real human with thoughts and feelings. I peeled my eyes off of the screen and looked at Rose. She was staring at me, wide-eyed. I couldn’t even make an expression at her. I just turned back to the television, wide-eyed myself.

The president continued speaking. “We understand that this is incredibly difficult for you to understand, and we assure you that more information will be released to you in the coming hours and days. But for the moment, our main concern is finding the individual who can help us close the gate. It is vital that each and every one of you comply with the procedures required to locate this individual. Further information will be broadcast after this announcement indicating how to provide a blood sample. This is of immediate need, as the tear is increasing as we speak. Your cooperation and compliance will ensure the safety of our world. Once your blood samples are analyzed, we should be able to determine who the individual is. This analyzation is an extremely quick process, however, we realize that not everyone on Earth is viewing a broadcast right now and will therefore not be informed. If we do not discover the individual following this broadcast, we will continue with alternate methods to retrieve samples from those who were not aware they needed to provide one. Time is of the essence, so I urge you to please cooperate with officials and law enforcement today to provide your sample. We understand that this will create a reaction of worry, but please, we ask you to continue with your day as normally as possible. This will ensure a quick recovery for our world. Thank you again.” The screen went blank. The room was silent. Everyone looked like they’d just been shocked.

Our manager stepped to the front of the room once more. “I realize you are all in shock right now. As am I. I did not have knowledge of this before this meeting with you all. I do, however, have this packet of information that I was asked to read to you in leu of the local broadcast that is to follow. I believe this is information regarding our collecting samples here at the office, instead of the local information for those who are at home.” She pulled out a manila envelope and opened it up. Inside was a small stack of paper. She began to read. “You are all asked to wait patiently here for our on-site nurse to arrive with the testing kits. She will be traveling around the conference rooms, one by one. When she arrives, you will be asked to provide a fingertip of your choice to be pricked. You will then place the tip of your finger on the test strip. The analyzation is very simple, but will require up to an hour to be complete. Therefore, you will not know your results immediately. After you provide your sample, you will be given a bandage and asked to return back to your workspace. We ask that, if at all possible, you remain in the building for the remainder of the work day in order to keep the roads clear for those who need to travel to testing locations.” She then began to explain how testing would be conducted in schools, informing parents that their children would be well taken care of. My mind began to wander. How in the world would everyone be tested? I knew there would be many who would not comply, or not even have access to a television to get this information. What if they never found the individual? Would the universe implode? My heart began to race. It was information overload. All I knew was that I wanted to help things move as smoothly as possible and provide my sample so that they could rule me off the list. That was my utmost priority at the moment.

Our manager began to speak again. “This is all of the information I have for you at the moment. The nurse should be around shortly. If you have any specific questions, I can look through this paperwork and see if we can find an answer. For now, please sit tight.”

I turned to Rose. She was already looking at me. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, thoughtful. Then she opened it again. “Carrie, can you believe it?”

“I…I don’t even know what to think right now…” I said slowly, looking directly at her.

She paused for a moment. “I’m scared.” She said in a small voice. “How are they going to find this person?”

“I’m worried too.” I replied.

“And even if they do, what is this ‘unfinished business?’ You know Twin Peaks better than me, what could it be?” She had a pleading look in her eyes.

I thought for a moment, trying to remember details of the storyline. “Rose, I honestly don’t know.” I was helpless to know what it was. There were so many facets to the show. I corrected myself in my head. This wasn’t a show, it turns out. This was another reality.

“It could literally be ANYONE.” Rose stated. Then she looked at me mysteriously, and I knew what she was thinking.  
  
I stopped her immediately. “Rose, my dream means nothing. It’s just a silly crush that’s obviously is taking over my thoughts and therefore my dreams as well.” I looked down at my hands. It _was_ mysterious that I had the same dream over and over, but I also knew that I was way down on the list of Twin Peaks fanatics in this world. Mine was just a silly infatuation. There were many fans out there who dug deep into the storyline and therefore must have the knowledge to complete the unfinished business. That eased my mind a little bit. I just had to give my sample, and then sit back and watch as they found the individual. It would actually be quite interesting to follow along with the upcoming news reports as I’m sure they would give details of the process.

Just then, the door to the conference room opened, and the nurse walked in with a rolling cart. On it were stacks of very official looking packages. They were small, about 4 inches square.“Ok everyone, I’m here to conduct these quick blood tests.” She said, in an oddly cheerful tone for the situation. “If you’ll all cooperate, we can get these done quickly. I assure you that the process is simple, and your sample will be used only for this test.”

She explained the process of the finger prick and then someone asked, “What if we are the one?” 

Without looking up she replied, “Very unlikely, as the entire world is to be tested. But should we find the individual here at this office, you will be notified likely by the end of the day. I know that they are keen on getting this process started as soon as possible.”

One by one, we made our way up to her cart. When it was my turn, she asked me to hold out my finger. I did so nervously. She then opened one of the small packages and pulled out a small lancet and a small test strip. She touched the lancet to my finger, I felt a tiny pinch, and then a drop of blood oozed from the spot she pricked. “Now we’ll just touch your finger to the end of the test strip, there we go.” She said as she held my finger steady. The blood spread onto the strip, and I saw what appeared to be two columns. One said NEGATIVE and the other said POSITIVE. “Alright, we’ll let that sit and we’ll have the results in less than an hour. If you don’t hear from us, you’re all clear.” She gave me a bandage and a cheerful smile and sent me on my way.

Rose had been waiting for me at the door, she’d been tested directly before me. We walked back to our desks silently. Both inside our own heads. A television had been brought to our work area and coworkers were standing around it, watching intently. I heard a news anchor recapping the details we’d been given and reporting on the inevitable chaos that was ensuing. After watching for a few minutes, I went to sit at my desk, I couldn’t allow more information into my head yet. I had to work through what was already there.

Rose rolled her chair over to mine. “What do you think it’s going to feel like for that person to cross over to another dimension?” She asked.

I thought about it for a moment. “I can’t even imagine. I wonder if it is instant or a sort of journey. I wonder if it hurts or something.”

“I’m sure it will quite the experience for whoever has to do it. They’re going to be a hero, you know.” I could tell she was deep in thought.

“I’m worried about their safety. Twin Peaks is a strange and dangerous place. I would imagine they’ll see some things…” I thought about the supernatural events that took place there. But what was really supernatural anymore? We now had proof of alternate dimensions. Anything seemed possible at this point.

“I’m sure the FBI or whoever’s in charge there will keep them safe. It sounds like they’re just as aware of the situation as we are.” She mused. Then she seemed to have an epiphany of some kind. “Carrie, all of those characters are REAL.” She said incredulously, as if she were just now realizing this. “Cooper, he’s real. How are you handling this?”

I looked at her, exhausted by my own thoughts. “I can’t comprehend it yet. At some point I probably will, but right now, I’m just worried that they won’t find the person to solve this.” But that was partially a lie. Inside, I began to think of Cooper. His deep eyes, they were real. His strong hands, they were real. His soft lips…

Just then, I was pulled from my thoughts when our HR manager appeared in the doorway. She looked directly at me and seemed visibly shaken. “Carrie, could you come with me please?” She asked, outstretching her hand.I looked at Rose, who stared, wide eyed at me. “I’ll be right back,” I whispered, “They probably just messed up my blood sample.” I stood up slowly from my chair and stepped towards the manager. My legs felt like jello. If I needed to give another sample, that was fine, but what I really wanted was a nap. My brain was fried.

“Is there something the matter?” I asked her as we started down the hallway. 

She didn’t respond immediately. I could tell she was trying to formulate her thoughts. “We’re…we’re not sure. We need to perform another blood test.” Of course, that was it. My sample had probably been skewed, or it was a faulty test strip. I was prepared to comply and take another one.

Soon we arrived at the office of the CEO. Why didn’t we go back to the conference room? Maybe the nurse was stationed in the CEO’s office now? It sounded like a strange place to be stationed in. When she opened the door, I immediately saw 4 gentlemen sitting around the small table in the center of the room, chatting intently. I noticed they all had lapel pins. Squinting, I made out the contents of the pin, “FBI.” These were FBI agents. What in the world was going on? Why was I brought to a room full of FBI agents?

My pulse began to quicken. This was strange. Something was off. This couldn’t be part of normal testing procedure. One of them looked up at me, and the others followed suit. He stood up, “Carrie Sanders, hello. Special Agent John Mackley here. These are my colleagues.” He gestured towards the other men at the table. None of them smiled, this was business.


	3. Chapter 3

“Miss Sanders, please take a seat.” Special Agent Mackley gestured towards the one empty seat at the table.

I stared at him for a moment, completely dumbfounded, before walking slowly to the seat and sitting down. My body was numb as I sat silently and stared at the men. Had I done something wrong? Did they find something incriminating in my bloodwork? Surely they must not have. I had no criminal history. The HR manager had told me they needed to re-do my blood test. Why did the FBI need to be there?

“Miss Sanders, I trust that you watched the broadcast this morning?” Agent Mackley asked calmly, eyes locked on me.

“Um, yes, I watched with the rest of my department.” My voice was shaking slightly.

“And you provided a blood sample, correct?”

“Yes, was there something wrong with it? I can re-take it. I’m fully willing to do whatever I need to do.” My voice quickened. I was nervous but wanted them to know that I would cooperate in whatever way needed.

“No, we do not have reason to believe there was anything wrong with your sample.” He exchanged looks with the other agents before taking a breath and looking at me squarely. “Miss Sanders, your test results came back positive.”

Positive. The room began to spin and I felt faint. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I felt as though I might stop breathing.

“We would like to request an additional blood test to confirm the accuracy of the first test. Would that be alright?” He took out of his pocket what looked like a small handheld device, about the size of a remote control. “This is just another finger prick but with more advanced capabilities.”

I stared blankly at the device. Somehow, I managed to let out a squeaky “ok” before providing a finger for him to prick. He took my hand and lined up the device to the tip of my finger. I felt a small poke and the blood from my finger was absorbed by the tip of the device. Agent Mackley pulled it back and the 4 men huddled around it intently. I watched the small screen on the device. It was blank for a moment, before suddenly turning a brilliant green.

One of the men lifted his phone to his ear. “We have a positive identification.” I could hear the excited urgency in his voice.

Agent Mackley stood up from his seat and faced me. His face held a serious but genuine expression. “Miss Sanders, on behalf of the United States of America, as well as the rest of the world, we would like to thank you for complying to provide your blood sample, so that we have been able to identify you.” There was a great sincerity in his voice.

I wasn’t sure how to respond. I was able to nod my head slightly and a barely inaudible “you’re welcome” came out. I still didn’t know how to take this information. Surely there was a mistake. Surely there must be others who tested positive and they would now need to decide who they sent. Or even more likely, surely this was just a dream.

Agent Mackley took his seat again and clasped his hands in front of him on the table. He looked at me for a moment, studying my expressions. After a pause, he said “Miss Sanders, are you aware of what your test results conclude?”

I swallowed and tried to find my words. “I…I assume it means I’m one of the individuals who might have to go to the other dimension?” My mouth was dry.

He responded quickly. “You are THE individual who will be asked to travel to the other dimension.”

“Surely there must be more, I can’t have been the only person to test positive? Isn’t testing still going on?” I asked incredulously.

“As of this meeting, testing has ceased. Miss Sanders, we are completely confident that only one human of this Earth will have tested positive. That person is you. Our search is complete.” He said with finality in the tone of his voice.

I looked at him, wide-eyed. “But how can you be sure?”

“The process of determining this has been a very detailed investigation and would take an understanding of biology and physics to explain. Unfortunately, we do not have time to explain it at the moment. This matter has an urgency to it.” His words were calculated.

The word urgency scared me. How urgent was this? “When do I need to go?” I couldn’t believe I was even asking this question.

“You will travel to Washington state immediately with us.” He paused. “That brings me to my next question. I need verbal consent from you that you would like to begin this process. The enormity of this situation is beyond what many can comprehend. Your choice will determine the future of our entire universe. Your consent will ultimately reverse the tear and save the universe. Should you choose to reject this mission, and we are unsure of our future. We fully understand the intensity of this request, but we must ask, are you agreeing to make this journey?”

Was this an option? Surely it couldn’t be. I completely understood the severity of the situation. My non-consent would end the lives of everyone on Earth, and apparently the entire universe. He must just be asking out of politeness. If I refused, I was sure they’d still make me go. This was too large-scale. It was too much to even comprehend. I focused on the details of the wood grain of the table, trying to find answers. Slowly, I began my response. “I…definitely consent…I completely understand that if I didn’t, the world would end…” My voice cracked. “But, I’m…terrified.” I looked up at Agent Mackley. “I have no idea what my ‘unfinished business’ is. I don’t even know where to start.”

His eyes softened. “Miss Sanders. I assure you that you will be in the best of hands. Both here, and in Dimension 2. They have a fantastic team as well. It was completely expected that you would be unaware of your unfinished business. That is something that we, as well as the Agents in Dimension 2 will aid you with. However, we also believe that the process will likely be natural. This may be as easy as you spending enough time there to just see what happens. You will likely be pulled towards your goal as time passes, without your understanding.” Before I had a chance to respond, he continued. “I know you have many more questions, and we will gladly answer them, however, in the interest of time, we must begin our journey to Washington immediately.” He stood up, as did the other 3 men at the table. “Miss Sanders, you are now under our nation’s top security. If you would, please come with us outside. There is a helicopter waiting.” He motioned for me towards the door.

I was frozen in my seat for a moment. This was it. I was going to follow them. They were going to take me to somewhere in Washington, and I was going to travel through a gate and into another dimension. The Twin Peaks dimension. Where Agent Cooper existed as a real live person…


	4. Chapter 4

Somehow, by some force or will that I didn’t know I had, I was able to stand up from the chair and follow the men out the door. My steps were robotic. My body was making the movements, but my mind was completely disconnected. I was in a deep but troubled state. This morning, I had woken up, just like any other day, and now I was headed to another dimension. It was almost unfathomable. I still wasn’t convinced I wasn’t dreaming. But then again, I hadn’t had a unique dream in months. I pondered the idea for a moment. Had my reoccurring dreams been a sign of this? Did my unfinished business have to do with the walk down that hallway? I shook my head. It must just be a coincidence.

We walked down the hallway towards the entrance to the building. Two agents ahead of me, two behind me. When we reached the front door, I began to hear a loud sound outside. I soon found out that a helicopter had landed on the lawn in front of the building. We stepped out the door and I hesitated for a moment, but Agent Mackley put his hand on my back and guided me towards the helicopter. He helped me step up onto the ledge and into the cabin and then helped me fasten my seatbelt before handing me a headset. The other agents buckled themselves into the adjacent seats. I looked out the side of the helicopter and saw faces pressed up against the windows of my office building. They were watching me leave. I’m sure they were unendingly curious about where I was going. They’d find out soon enough. I was sure it would be all over the news.

Agent Mackley was motioning at me to flip the switch to my headset. I found it with my finger and it clicked on. I heard his voice. “We’re going to make a quick trip over to the air base and then will be transferred to an FBI aircraft that will take us to Washington state. That trip will take about a half hour. We will be able to give you more details then. Just sit tight for the moment.”

I nodded in understanding. Suddenly I felt the propellers begin to pick up speed, and the helicopter started to lift off the ground. Within seconds, we were moving forward through the air, high above the streets beneath us.

The flight was extremely quick. We were back on the ground within 5 minutes. It was enough time, however, for my nerves to calm just ever so slightly. I was able to think more clearly now. This was not a joke. I needed to start asking the right questions.

We stepped out of the helicopter and saw a private jet about a hundred yards away on the tarmac. Agent Mackley gestured towards the jet. “That’s where we are going.” We started walking. This time I had a bit more determination in my step. There is something about walking with 4 FBI agents dressed in black suits that really gives you a boost of confidence.

The rolling staircase was already set up at the entrance to the plane and we climbed them quickly. Once inside, I was greeted by an expensive looking interior. Instead of a traditional commuter jet, the layout resembled a contemporary living room. Leather seats facing the center of the plane, chrome and mahogany accents, and what looked to be a mini kitchen/bar. 

“Sit wherever you please” Agent Mackley said.

I took a seat in one of the leather chairs. The rest of the agents did the same. 

“Would you like anything to drink, Miss Sanders?” He asked.

My mouth was so dry. “Could I have some water, please?”

“Absolutely.” One of the other agents stood up and grabbed a bottled water from the mini fridge and passed it me. I took a long swig.

“You’ll need to buckle in for takeoff and then we’ll discuss some of the details.” Agent Mackely said. 

I fastened my seatbelt and an announcement came over the speakers. “Cleared for takeoff.”

The plane began to pick up speed on the runway, and that was it, we were in the air. 

Agent Mackley settled into his chair and looked at me. “I’m sure you are feeling many emotions right now and have countless questions. I’d like to give you further details about what will take place. Please ask anything as I explain.” He looked at me for understanding.

I nodded my head.

“Our destination is a remote area of northern Washington state. For security reasons, I cannot disclose the exact location to you. We will be met by FBI Director William Sessions and a team of scientists who have been working on this case. They will have some questions for you and some final instructions. You will then be taken to the gate. The process of crossing through the gate is extremely simple and painless, like walking through a doorway.”

“Will someone be coming with me?” This was a question that scared me, but I knew I had to ask.

“You will be crossing alone. In order not disrupt our universe’s timeline, we cannot send anyone else.” He replied.

“Has anyone else ever crossed through?” This worried me. How were they sure that this was safe?

“We have sent animals through. They have come back safely. I know this sounds like something to be afraid of. But identifiers in your blood show that you are similar to the humans in Dimension 2.”

I wrinkled my forehead for a moment, thinking about that. “So…so do you think I am not from our dimension? Am I from theirs?”

He raised his eyes to the other agents. They looked at him with an interesting expression. He turned back to me. “We unfortunately have not been able to confirm that theory. But it is one possibility.”

As if my brain wasn’t already filled to capacity, now I had to question whether I was even from this world. “How did I get here then?”

He raised his hand, stopping me. “We do not know for sure what is true yet. We need to get you there first.” But I could tell by the tone of his voice that I had hit on an important topic. I think they already knew the answer to this. I chose to remain silent rather than push further. It wasn’t something they were ready to admit yet.

He searched my face to see if he could continue, then said, “On the other side of the gate, we aren’t sure exactly where you will arrive, but there will be an agent waiting for you.”

“Who will that be?” I asked quickly. Instantly wondering if it might just be Agent Cooper. The thought made me shiver with excitement. 

“That we do not know. Once you cross over, you are in their hands, and they will be responsible for what happens then.”

That deflated me a bit. I needed to be prepared to face him if that was indeed what I should expect. I hope that he would be the one to help me with my unfinished business in this other dimension. With all of the other FBI agents on this other world, it seemed unlikely that I would get so lucky. But on the other hand, the part of their universe that they chose to show us included his story. There must be some significance to that.

Agent Mackley broke me from my thoughts. “Once you are there, your instructions are to simply explore whatever comes naturally. We believe that your unfinished business is something that you will discover on your own.”

This was confusing. “So I have no instructions?” What was I supposed to do, just wander around Twin Peaks until something magical happened?

He sensed my confused frustration. “I understand that this sounds confusing. But there will be agents there to help you.” He took a breath. “There will be scientists on both sides of the gate monitoring the progression of the tear. As soon as you enter, it should cease to become larger. Once you accomplish your business, we will know because the tear will begin to heal and close. You will then be immediately brought back through and the gate will soon disappear. Everything will return to normal.”

A sadness fell over me for a moment. “So then we will no longer have contact with Dimension 2 at that point?”

“That is correct.” He replied.

I looked down at my hands. I felt a longing for these people I would meet, that I would soon have to say goodbye to forever. I had hope that I would finally meet Agent Cooper, a dream come true. But only to have to say goodbye to him. It would surely all be business though. Even if I did meet him, he would likely just help me solve the problem and then shake my hand, and I’d head home. It would still be worth it though, for those moments, or days to be in his presence. To look up into his hazel eyes, standing directly in front of me, feeling the heat of his hand as he shook mine, seeing his contagious grin as he realizes he has helped me in the journey to save our universes. It would surely be an ultimate accomplishment for him. He’d be regarded as a hero. He’d have memories of me…

“Do you have any other questions?” Agent Mackley’s voice pulled me abruptly from my thoughts. It also reminded me that there could be any agent waiting for me on the other side of the gate. I was getting ahead of myself.  
I shook my head. “Not yet.” My brain couldn’t come up with further questions at the moment.

“Good, good. We will be landing soon.” He replied, and took out some papers, jotting notes down.

I looked out the window, the landscape was now full of deep green fir trees and they were becoming closer. I could see what looked to be a clearing with a landing strip in the distance. The plane began to turn as we headed straight for it.


	5. Chapter 5

Our wheels touched down on what looked like a brand new landing strip. With it being such a remote location, I wondered if it was created specifically for this purpose. We taxied towards a small brick building.

Once we stopped, the doors were opened and rolling stairs were pulled to the door. 

“You can follow me, Miss Sanders.” Agent Mackley motioned to me.

We made our way down the steps and into the small building. The outdoor air smelled wonderful. The fir trees put off a fresh, pure scent. I took a deep breath before walking through the doors. 

Inside we were greeted by a small sitting room. Standing in the center of the room was a tall middle-aged man. I assumed he was the director of the FBI that Agent Mackley mentioned. He immediately held out his hand. “Miss Sanders, my name is William Sessions, FBI director. May I call you Carrie?”

His handshake was firm and confident. “Of course.” I replied. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s even nicer to meet you, Carrie. We’ve had our hopes high on finding you for the last many months. We are endlessly appreciative of your compliance and cooperation in providing a blood sample.”

I nodded, not sure what to say.

“I trust that Agent Mackley has informed you of the process you are to expect?” He gestured towards the agent.

“Yes, he did.” I replied.

“Excellent. Please take a seat.” He motioned to an empty chair at one end of the room.

I sat down and he took the seat across from me. Just then, 3 other men entered the room and took seats as well. 

“These are some of the scientists and investigators who have been able to discover the process by which we would find you and fix the tear.” Director Sessions explained.

They nodded at me and I returned the gesture. They had clipboards and were poised to take notes.

“Carrie, the first thing we need to do is get your vitals and conduct a quick assessment of your health. This is a safety precaution as you pass through the gate.” He motioned a woman in to the room.

She walked over to me. “May I take your pulse and blood pressure and listen to your chest?”

I nodded. She took my wrist and looked at her watch. Then she turned to the scientists “105 beats per minute.” She turned back to me and smiled. “It’s a little high but I know you’re nervous.” Then she held up her stethoscope to my back. “Take a deep breath.” I did, and she asked again. I did once more. Then she put the blood pressure cuff around my arm and pumped it full. When she released it, she turned to the scientists again. “120 over 80. Perfectly healthy.” She smiled again and stepped back out of the room.

Director Sessions was sitting forward in his chair, hands clasped in front of him, staring intently at me. “Carrie, do you have any knowledge of why you might be the one to complete this task?”

I looked at him incredulously. How would I have any idea? This is all brand new information to me. “How could I? I have no idea.” I replied.

His face softened. “Don’t worry, we didn’t think you would. We’re just trying to put the puzzle pieces together just as much as you are. Do you feel a pull towards any of the events, places, or individuals from the Twin Peaks universe?”

I studied him for a moment. I was not about to tell him about my childish crush on Agent Cooper. That was most certainly unnecessary information and I would likely be laughed out of the building. “Other than enjoying the show, not…not really.” I lied.

“Really anything you have could be of help…” He mused.

I thought of my dreams. Studying my fingers for a moment, I formulated my thoughts and then looked up at him. “I’ve been having reoccurring dreams lately.”

The scientists starting writing.

Director Sessions leaned back in his chair, eyes still fixed on me. “How long have you been having these dreams? What are they about?”

I took a breath and thought back to the details of my dreams. “The last few months. I dream that I’m walking down the hallway of The Great Northern. I’m counting the doors until I get to room 315. Sometimes the dream ends here. But sometimes I’m able to open the door. I see a tall man in a black suit facing the window with his hands in his pockets, but I always wake up right before he turns around.”

The scientists were writing furiously.

“Interesting.” The director pondered his thoughts. “This could possibly be a clue to your unfinished business. Keep that dream in your mind. You may need to refer back to its hidden meanings. The mind is a very powerful thing, and the reason for your walk down that hallway could represent a deeper desire within you to accomplish something.”

I thought about that for a moment. I wasn’t sure what the meaning could be, but I decided I would take his advice and think about that.

He looked at one of the scientists who nodded back at him. The director took a large breath and leaned forwards in his chair towards me. “Well, Carrie, are you ready to go?”

My heard just about jumped out of my chest. That was it? It was time? I felt like I couldn’t breathe again. I looked at him with wide eyes.

He smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, you will be under the utmost protection when you cross over. Everyone is on your side. We are all figuring this out together.” He paused, watching me take deep breaths. Looking at my skirt and blouse, he said “We have something more comfortable for you to wear if you’d like. The bathroom is just there.” He pointed to a door. “You’ll find the change of clothing in there.”

Catching my breath, I replied. “Thank you.” I stood up and walked to the bathroom. Once inside, I saw a neat stack of clothing on the counter next to the sink. There were jeans, a white t-shirt, a blue sweater, socks, and brown boots. I decided I should use the toilet. I didn’t need to be worrying about that when I arrived on the other side of the gate. After that, I changed into the new clothes and left my own, neatly stacked on the counter. These new clothes fit me well. They must have communicated my size as I was on my way. 

I looked at myself in the mirror. Reflecting back at me was my wide-eyed expression. I tried to relax my muscles. I needed to focus. This was a mission, and apparently, I had the tools I needed inside of me already. I just had to connect the pieces. I took a deep breath and gave myself a look of determination. 

I then turned and walked back out the door. This time, everyone was standing. They all turned to me when I stepped into the room. Director Sessions spoke. “Ready to go?”

“Ready.” I replied with forced confidence.

I followed them out another door in the room, down a narrow white hallway, and then through an exterior door onto a gravel path. In the distance, I saw lots of scientific equipment and men and women moving about, working on the equipment and making adjustments.

“Carrie, now I want you to know that once you enter, the tear will stop growing. It will remain static until you have fulfilled your purpose. Therefore, there is no need to rush once you’re there. We just need you to spend whatever time necessary to naturally figure out what is required of you. It is very important that you not stress about the timing. Once you enter, things will become stable.”

I nodded, understanding.

We arrived at our destination and the men and women stopped what they were doing. They parted the way so that we could walk forward.

“All you need to do is walk forward in that direction.” He pointed towards what looked like an ordinary forest to me. “Do you have any other questions?”

“Do I have to walk far into the forest?” I asked, wondering if this would be a long trip. I wasn’t prepared for a hike.

“You can’t see the gate, but it is right there, just a few meters away.” He pointed again.

I squinted. I couldn’t see anything. “What’s on the other side?”

“The exit side of the gate varies. That is why you may not see an agent immediately. But they are patrolling the area. You will arrive somewhere in the Twin Peaks area.”

This was worrisome to me. I didn’t want to step through and end up in front of a semi or something tragic like that.

The director saw the worry in my face. “Don’t be afraid. Remember, there is a pull that is attracting you towards this other dimension. You will arrive where you need to be.”

That gave me some comfort, but it was still unnerving. “Will they know who I am when I arrive?”

“They have been given the details of your clothing and they know your name. They will identify you that way.” He replied. I didn’t say anything for a moment, so he continued. “Whenever you are ready. You may start walking forwards in that direction. Carrie, we wish you the best of luck in this journey and we again would like to thank you for your service to this world.” His voice was filled with sincerity. “We will see you soon.”

I looked at him one last time and then took a deep breath and focused my attention on the empty space in front of me. My pulse must have been a thousand. I could barely think straight, but I took a step forward.


	6. Chapter 6

I felt everyone’s eyes on me as I walked forward. I felt silly for a moment, because nothing was happening. I was just walking towards an empty forest. But suddenly my vision started to cloud. The trees around me turned wavy, and everything became brighter, almost as if it were an overexposed photo. I almost stopped to look back, but a surge of determination encouraged me forward. I took 3 more slow steps, and suddenly everything was white. It was a terrifying moment. I felt as if there was no up and no down, no heat, no cold. Just existence. It was in that moment that I began to worry that something was wrong, and then my vision started to return. My surroundings started to come into focus. It looked like a hallway. 5 more steps and things were perfectly clear. I stopped, taking in my position. I was in a hallway, surrounded by wooden walls and floors. I turned around, but behind me was just more hallway.

When I faced forward again, I suddenly had an extreme sense of familiarity. I’d stood in this hallway hundreds of times…in my dreams. The was the hallway I’d been dreaming about every night. I was at The Great Northern.

I turned to my left. “309” read on the door next to me. My heart jumped. This was exactly like my dreams. Did this mean…? I couldn’t bring myself to admit it inside my head. Would someone be waiting for me in room 315?

I brought my hand to my chest, trying to contain my heart that I was sure was about to explode out of me. I took a few steps forward. 310, my legs were numb. 311, my breathing was shallow. 312, my palms were sweating. 313, my knees were weak. 314, my hands were shaking.

I turned to my left, and there it was. Room 315. The numbers were engraved into the door plate. But this time, my vision was so clear. I didn’t feel myself being pulled out of the moment. I felt fully and completely awake. More alive than I ever had before.

I reached a slow shaking hand towards the door handle. My palm connected with the cool metal. I took one last deep breath and turned the handle, simultaneously terrified and ecstatic about what I was about to find inside.

With a click, I ever so slowly pushed the door open, almost squinting my eyes, terrified to accept reality, whatever it was.

Clear as ever, unobstructed by any dreamlike disturbances, there was the figure. Tall, slender, in a full black suit, with greased black hair, facing the window with his hands in his pockets. It was then that my dream became reality. What felt like minutes, was actually just seconds. And then he began to turn. He had heard me come in. I gasped quietly. As I watched his head turn, I recognized his profile. I’d recognize it anywhere. And then he was facing me. A quirky grin on his face as he studied me for a few seconds.

“Well hello, Miss Sanders.” Said Special Agent Dale Cooper.

This was too much for me to handle. When you see someone on television or in your dreams, they are two dimensional. Just an image presented in front of your eyes. This Agent Cooper was three dimensional, physical, here, standing in front of me. I could see every detail of his tall figure. I could see how the light of the room fell across his features. He was even more handsome than I could have ever imagined.

“Hello.” I said in a small voice that I was surprised I even had.

He walked a few steps towards me and outstretched his hand. “Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Dale Cooper. I’m very excited to finally meet you” His smile was so warm and inviting.

I lifted my hand to meet his. He grasped mine with a confidence that I knew he would have. His hand was warm and soft. There was a jolt of electricity as his skin touched mine.  I couldn’t believe I was shaking his hand. This man that, until this morning, I had believed to be just a figment of someone’s imagination. But now he was here in front of me, flesh and blood.

“Come in and sit down. You must be exhausted.” He motioned towards two chairs in the corner of the room.

“Thank you” I squeaked.

He stepped to the side so that I could pass him and sit down in one of the chairs. He sat in the other and clasped his hands in front of him as he looked at me intently. “On behalf of our world, as well as myself personally, I would like to thank you Carrie, may I call you Carrie? Thank you for making this journey.”

I looked at him with awe. Our knees were just inches apart. We were so close. I could see every detail of his hazel eyes, every curve of his face. He was looking into my eyes with such sincerity.

“Sure you can. I’m glad I’m finally here.” Was all I could manage to get out. My voice was still tight.

“We’re glad you’re here too, Carrie.” His voice was so familiar. It had the same cadence and inflections that I had come to adore. This was really him. He continued. “I have to ask, how did you decide to come to my room?”

My pulse was starting to come down. Being in his presence gave me more comfort than I had expected. He had a way about him that made me feel safe. “I’ve been having reoccurring dreams of walking down that hallway and coming to this room.” He looked at me intently. “Sometimes I was able to open the door and see you, but then I always woke up.”

He looked past me at the wall for a moment, as if putting pieces of a puzzle together in his head. “That is interesting. Very interesting information.” He paused, but then appeared to make a decision not to continue. He looked in to my eyes and seemed to be searching for something. “Carrie, did you know who I was before today? Did you watch the television show broadcast in your dimension?”

I grinned slightly. “Yes I knew who you were, but I believed you to be a fictional character.” It all felt so strange, talking to him about this.

He laughed – gosh his laugh was glorious – and looked up at me. “Well this must be a strange experience for you then.”

“You have no idea.” I smiled back at him. A surge of joy swam through me as we encountered a moment of simply smiling at one another.

Then he suddenly stood up and faced me. “Well, Carrie, I suppose I owe you details of what is to take place here now.” He put his hands back in his pockets. “Soon we will head down the hallway to another room. 322 to be exact. There we will find FBI Director Alan Kane, as well as a few other agents on our side. I believe they have a few questions to ask you.”

My heart sank for a moment, would he be leaving me? Was someone else assigned to my case? Was it just coincidence that I showed up at his room?

But he continued. “After that, it’ll be about time to hit the sack.”

“Where will I sleep?” I asked, curious about what kinds of preparations had been made.

“Right here at the Great Northern. We believe that something has been pulling you here and that you should remain in the area.”

“Where will you stay?” I couldn’t believe I asked that question. Why should he know that I was curious about that? 

“I’ll be here as well.” He smiled. “Carrie, expect to see a lot of me in the coming days and weeks. I’ve been assigned as both your personal security and assistant to your journey.” He brought his hand to his forehead in a salute.

My heart wept with happiness. Days with Agent Cooper! The news couldn’t have been more perfect. Maybe this journey wouldn’t be so terrifying after all.

“I am tremendously thrilled to be part of such a world altering case.” He continued. “I look forward to getting to know you.” This time he held his gaze to mine just a second longer… “Shall we?” He gestured towards the door.

I stood up and followed him. He opened the door for me to pass through and then led me down the hallway towards room 322. When we walked in, there were 3 men sitting around a table.

“Agents.” Cooper nodded to the men.

“Thank you Coop.” The man in the middle said. “We just got word that the gate has stopped growing. We’re on the right track.”

“Excellent news.” Cooper replied and took a seat at the side of the room.

The man in the middle stood up and outstretched his hand to me. “Miss Sanders, my name is Alan Kane. We’re glad to have you here. Please take a seat. 

I was exhausted already, preparing myself for the questions I knew were to come. “Thank you.” I replied and sat down at the table.

“I can see that you are exhausted from the day, and I assure you that this meeting will be quick. I just want to welcome you and let you know what our plans are.”

I nodded, realizing just how tired I was. I noticed the window. It was becoming dark.

“You won’t see much of us while you’re here. We’ve assigned Special Agent Cooper to this case, as he knows the area well. He will be relaying any pertinent details back to us. There will be a few of us around the lodge, just as extra security, but we won’t be interfering. We want this to be a seamless experience for you, in order to solve this business as soon as possible. Agent Cooper will carry a pager with him. This pager will only beep if the gate has begun to close. If this happens, it’s great news, because the business will have been solved and you will be able to return to your dimension. At that moment, Agent Cooper will bring you to our gate location and you will be able to return home. Timing will be important. Once the gate begins to close, you’ll need to go back through quickly. Do you have any questions?”

I shook my head. “No I don’t think so.” It all seemed simple enough.

“Wonderful. If you do have any further questions, Agent Cooper should be capable of answering them for you. He has been fully briefed on the situation and ready to help in any way he can.” He replied.

I looked over at Agent Cooper and he was already looking at me. He smiled. I smiled back.

Director Alan Kane spoke again. “I think that should be it. Cooper, she’s yours.”

My heart leapt. _She’s yours_. The thought sent shivers down my spine. 

Agent Cooper stood up and reached his hand towards me. I took it and he guided me towards the door. “Goodnight gentlemen.” He said before leading me out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

“So here’s the situation.” We were standing in front of room 315 again and Agent Cooper was standing next to me speaking. He was a good 8 inches taller than me. Looking up at him was Better than anything I could have dreamed up. “As your personal security, I’m required to keep track of you at all times, unless another agent is present. We have two options. I can sleep on a cot outside the door and we’ll put agents on rotation outside your window. Or, I can bring the cot inside your room and I’ll sleep there and we won’t need an agent outside your window.” He searched my face for a reaction. “Whatever you are most comfortable with. We are prepared for both options.”

Inside my head, I laughed. To have him sleep in my room or not? What a silly question. I understood why he asked though. He was an extremely respectful man and I was sure he didn’t want to make me feel comfortable. Little did he know, I’d be just fine if he had to sleep in the same bed with me… “Oh, no need to have extra agents guarding the window. You can stay in my room.” I smiled warmly.

His face relaxed. “Perfect. That’s what we’ll do.” He opened the door and we walked in. “I’ll have a cot sent to the room. In the meantime, I believe there are pajamas in the bathroom. I’m sure you’re about ready to pass out.” He looked at me with sympathy.

“Thank you.” I replied, and turned left into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. Sure enough, there was a set of pajamas neatly placed on the counter. I turned on the sink and splashed some of the water on my face, looking at myself in the mirror. Surely this couldn’t be real. Was Agent Cooper really on the other side of that door? Was I really about to sleep in the same room as him tonight?

I changed into the pajamas and ran a brush through my hair. There was an entire basket of toiletries on the counter for me. They had thought of everything. The humans in this dimension were definitely true to the ones I’d always known.

I walked back into the bedroom and found him pulling back the sheets to a small cot that had been brought in for him. I felt bad. I had the entire large bed to myself and he would be on a small cot, barely large enough for a grown man. But it was also incredibly sweet of him to make the sacrifice.

I walked to the bed and sat down. He looked up at me and smiled. He seemed to be studying me again, as if he saw something in me that he was trying to uncover. Suddenly he spoke. “Oh, and I assure you that the sheets were changed this morning. You won’t be sleeping in my used ones.” He laughed.

Pfft… That would actually be preferable. “Haha, no worries.” I smiled back.

I pulled back the covers and slid beneath the sheets, laying my head onto the soft pillow. Agent Cooper was facing away from me, unbuttoning his shirt. I watched intently. He pulled it off his shoulders, revealing a white undershirt. His shoulders and arms were chiseled nicely. Not too much, but the perfect amount. You could tell he kept himself in shape. As an FBI agent, I was sure that was a prerequisite. I blushed and looked away. Surely he would prefer I didn’t watch this. 

He disappeared to the bathroom to change into his blue pajamas. Once he was back and in his cot, I looked at him. “Agent Cooper, thank you in advance for all of the help I’m sure you’ll be to me.” I said sincerely.

He grinned. “Carrie, don’t think anything of it. It’s my pleasure.” He paused. “and you can call me Dale.” His smile pierced my heart.

I grinned back and then turned out the light, sliding further into the covers and closing my eyes, before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

 

My eyes opened slowly and I squinted into the light streaming through the blinds of the room. I brought my hand to my eyes, blocking out the light. It took me a moment to realize I had not woken up frustrated by my reoccurring dream. For the first time in months, I felt refreshed. As I pulled my hand from my eyes, I noticed the wooden walls that surrounded me. It suddenly all came back to me. I was in Twin Peaks, in Dale Cooper’s room.

My head snapped to the cot at the other side of the room. There he was. He was already awake, sitting cross legged on his cot, reading what looked like a book on Tibetan culture. He didn’t notice I had woken up at first, so I took the moment to watch him. He was studying the pages with great interest. I loved how he was so dedicated to the topics that interested him. His hair was slightly disheveled, unusual compared to how I’d usually seen him. He was always so calculated and put together. I felt special to be seeing him candidly. I watched his eyebrows furrow as he scanned the pages. His lips moving ever so slightly as he read the words. I smiled. He was adorable.

Suddenly he looked up from his book and his eyes found mine. A large smile crossed his face and he shut the book and placed it on the table beside him. “Good morning Carrie, did you sleep well?”

I sat up in bed, stretching. “Yes, very well actually. I didn’t dream at all.”

An interesting expression crossed his face again, almost as if he was expecting me to tell him that. “Well that is good news indeed. These beds at the Great Northern are top of the line. Perfect for an excellent night of sleep.” He paused. “What would you like to do today?”

I raised my eyebrows. “What am I  _supposed_ to do?”

“Well see, that’s the thing. All you need to do is exactly what comes naturally. Follow the path of your own instincts.” He replied in a cheerful tone.

I thought about that for a moment. “Maybe a tour of the hotel to start the morning?”

“Great idea Carrie.” He stood up and reached for his white shirt, neatly hanging from the back of the desk chair.

“Do you mind if I shower first?” I needed to freshen up after my adventures of the previous day.

“Go for it. I’ll be ready whenever you are. Oh, and I believe there are more clothes for you in the closet.”

\--- 

After I showered and dried my hair, and slipped into a navy skirt and white blouse and a pair of navy flats. I found some mascara and blush in the basket, and applied a bit of those as well. I looked in the mirror, content with the way I looked.

When I came out, Dale was putting the pager in his pocket. It was interesting to me that the real life version of my hallway dream last night was not the answer to my “unfinished business.” There was more that I needed to do. But I just wasn’t sure what it was.

Dale was now fully dressed in his signature black suit and small FBI lapel pin. His hair was perfectly combed back, and I stood in awe of him for a moment. He put his hands in his pockets. “What do you say we start with breakfast? I could go for a good cup of black coffee this morning.”

I smiled. “Breakfast sounds great.”

We made our way down to the dining room and found a table. There were plenty of gazes our direction, but no one said anything to us. Dale noticed me looking around the room. He leaned towards me across the table and spoke quietly. “The town’s been asked to act normally around you, so as to keep things as natural as possible.” He raised an eyebrow. “They’re doing great, aren’t they?”

I chuckled.

“Oh, Carrie, will you excuse me, I forgot I need to speak to Alan about something this morning. See that agent across the room?” He pointed towards a man standing near the window, who acknowledged us. “That’s Jim. He’ll watch you while I’m gone. I won’t be long.” 

“Ok” I nodded, not really wanting him to leave.

“Just a few minutes,” he smiled, stood up, and headed back down the hall, leaving me alone at the table.

I looked at Jim. He was watching the room. I stared at my menu. Suddenly I sensed a presence in front of me. I looked up and there stood none other than Audrey Horne.

She was sort of swaying to imaginary music as she looked at me. “Hi, may I sit?”

Not sure when Dale would return, I replied that she could.

She sat down and reached her hand out to me. “You must be Carrie. I’m Audrey Horne. My father owns this place.”

I smiled and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you Audrey.” But It didn’t really feel like I was meeting her. Oh, I knew Audrey well. And I also knew that Audrey had quite the thing for Agent Cooper. Before yesterday, I had cheered for her character to finally capture his heart. But that was before she was real. Before _he_ was real. Before I was here in Twin Peaks, secretly yearning for his affection. Now I kind of wanted her to disappear, because I knew he had a thing for her too. But she was only 18. Much too young for an FBI agent of his age. I was 27. Much better suited for him, right? I laughed to myself. As if he would ever think of me as anything other than an individual to protect and assist.

“Agent Cooper is sleeping in the same room with you, isn’t he?” Audrey pulled me from my thoughts. 

Her question caught me off guard. What a topic to begin with. “Uh, yes, he’s sleeping in a cot. Apparently I require that much security.” I laughed, trying to lighten the subject.

She didn’t seem amused. “Agent Cooper is very fond of me. He told me that himself.” She seemed satisfied with her statement.

“I’m sure he is.” I replied. “You seem like a very nice young lady.”

She looked a little perturbed by my wording of ‘young lady.’ But she was almost 10 years my junior and more than 15 years Dale’s junior. I had no problem using those words with her.

“Are you worried you won’t find your unfinished business?” Audrey asked, her words came across as innocent, but I could read right through her.

Without a blink, I answered her confidently. “I fully believe that I will find it, however long that takes.”

Her brow furrowed. I could tell she was hoping I’d be out of Twin Peaks as soon as possible. Then she rested her chin on her hand and stared off into the distance, deep in thought. “He’s dreamy, isn’t he?”

I chose to give her the response I knew she was looking for. I didn’t need to start any drama. “He’s here to protect me and help me close the gate. That’s what matters to me.”

She seemed satisfied by my answer. She clasped her hands in her lap and looked squarely at me. “Even though Agent Cooper is no longer on the Laura Palmer case, I’ve decided to continue trying to find out who killed her. I think he’ll be very pleased with me when he finds out I helped solve the case.”

She brought up something that hadn’t dawned on me yet. Had he really dropped the Laura Palmer case? For me? Well, not necessarily for me, but for the health of the universe. I supposed my case was a much larger one, and therefore he probably jumped at the case. I felt a twinge of guilt though, for taking him away from a case he was so passionate about.

“Good morning Audrey.” Suddenly Dale was standing above our table. I jumped slightly, surprised by his presence.

She gazed up at him, a sultry look in her eyes. “Agent Cooper. How did you sleep?” She asked.

He smiled down at her, a small twinkle in his eye. “Very well Miss Horne, thank you for asking.”

She grinned. “Isn’t it great that Carrie is finally here?” She gestured to me. She was looking for a specific response from him.

Without pause he answered. “Yes, I think we’re all glad that she’s arrived safely and can now discover her purpose here.” He glanced at me briefly, smiling.

Audrey sighed happily. “Yes.” She stared up at him.

There was a moment of silence between the two. It was as if she was waiting for him to say something else and he was waiting for her to finish whatever she needed to say.

I sat awkwardly, watching the exchange. Finally she seemed to give up waiting, and she stood up from her chair. “Well, enjoy your breakfast.”

Dale took her seat. “Thank you, Audrey.” He started to study his menu.

She took one last look at him, and then at me, some frustration in her eyes. Then she turned on her heel and left the dining room.

Dale looked up at me from his menu. “Well, Carrie. Have you decided what you’d like? I’d suggest the ham. Nothing beats it.” He smiled.

I nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

“Do you like eggs?” He asked.

“Yes, definitely.” I was having trouble concentrating. The morning sunlight was coming through the window and hitting his eyes in just the right way. They were a deep caramel color and I was entranced.

Just then, the waitress stopped at our table. “What’ll it be this morning?”

Dale looked up at her. “We’ll start with two black coffees. As black as they come. And two plates of ham and eggs.” He paused and looked at me. “Do you want anything else?”

“Orange juice please.” I smiled at the waitress.

“And I’ll take a grapefruit juice.” Dale added.

The waitress wrote it all down. “I’ll be right back.” She said.

Dale took my menu and put both of them in the holder on the table. The waitress was already back with the coffee. She poured us both a cup. Dale took his mug in both hands, and brought to his mouth. He took a strong whiff of it before smiling and taking a sip. “Ah, nothing beats a fine cup of coffee in the morning.” He shivered with delight.

I grinned at him, completely enthralled by his quirkiness. I left my mug on the table. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I actually wasn’t a fan of coffee. It was just something I had never developed a taste for.

Instead, I stared at him intently for a moment, before asking. “Is it true that you are no longer on the Laura Palmer case?”

He looked up at me. “That is true. But I have been moved to a much more important case. My colleague, Albert Rosenfield, has taken on the case though. He is well equipped to solve the murder.”

I pursed my lips. “I’m sorry for taking you away from that case. I know how much it meant to you.” I searched his face to see how he was feeling.

His face turned serious. “Carrie, first of all, none of this is your fault. So you should feel no guilt. I chose to take on your case. It’ll be a dream come true to solve such a large-scale investigation. I have the utmost confidence that Albert will be successful with Laura Palmer’s case.”

I sighed, accepting his words. He seemed sincere.

He looked down at my coffee. His was almost gone and mine hadn’t been touched. “You haven’t taken a sip. Is there something the matter with your coffee?” He looked concerned.

I blushed, knowing he wouldn’t understand. “I, uh, I don’t really like coffee.”

He looked as though he’d just seen a pig fly into the room and land on my head. “Well that’s something I didn’t expect.” But he smiled at me. “However, I find the unique perspectives of the individuals of humanity to be vital to the diversity of our species. It’s fascinating to me.”

I laughed. “Good, I’m glad you didn’t drop the case due to these differences.” 

A wide smile spread across his face. _That smile_. “Not a chance.”

Just then, our breakfast arrived. It looked and smelled delicious. I dug in, realizing I was starving. 

After a few bites I looked up at Dale. “So, I know I supposedly have the instincts I need to solve my unfinished business here, but because I’m currently drawing a blank, do you have any advice?”

He pondered my question. “Well, what I can tell you is that, whatever it is, it’s a strong force, because it’s been pulling you so hard that it’s ripped a hole in space time. 

I shook my head, not believing it. “How is that even possible?”

“Unfortunately Carrie, I can’t begin to understand the specifics of physics. It’s not something I’ve studied extensively. However, I strongly believe in fate and the power of the mind, the soul. I believe that there is something deep inside of you that desires to be fulfilled.” He looked at me intensely.

I stared back at him. I was still just so enamored by him. The way his mouth moved when he spoke, the way his attention was so directly on me. Here was Dale Cooper, sitting across the table from me, answering my questions, giving his advice on _my life._ How did I get here?

“I wish I knew what that was.” I replied.

“I think somewhere, deep down, you do.” Dale searched my face, and when I didn’t respond, he continued. “Well, shall we begin our tour?”

We’d both finished our breakfast. “Let’s do it.” I smiled at him.


	9. Chapter 9

Dale showed me around the lodge, excitedly explaining all the little bits of history that he’d learned during his stay there. It was enjoyable watching him, so passionate about this place. He was definitely in his element here in Washington, surrounded by trees and calm.

Our tour around the lodge turned into a tour around town. We drove past Twin Peaks High School, the Packard Saw Mill, Big Ed’s Gas Farm and the Roadhouse. The “Bang Bang” sign was flashing, just as it did on screen. There was a warmth inside of me as I really realized I was in the little town that I’d grown to love so much. It felt right to be here. 

“Shall we end our tour for lunch at the Double R?” Dale asked.

“That would be perfect.” I replied.

We pulled in to the diner. It was so comforting. The neon sign lit up with “RR.” An overwhelming sense of joy flooded me. I felt at home, strangely. A home I had never actually been to.

Inside, we took a seat at the left end of the famous u-shaped counter. It wasn’t too busy. Maybe another 10 customers scattered around the room.

Norma Jennings saw us, and with a smile, came over to greet us. “Agent Cooper, nice to see you.”

He smiled warmly back at her. “Nice to see you Norma. This is Carrie Sanders.” He placed his hand on my back as he said this. His touch was electric again. I wanted more of it.

Norma held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you Carrie. We’re glad to have you.” Her smile was so comforting, like I was already an old friend to her.

I shook her hand. “It’s wonderful to meet you too, Norma.” I replied cheerfully.

“What’ll it be?” She asked.

Cooper looked to me in a gentlemanly gesture so that I could order first.

I scanned the menu quickly. “I’ll take a grilled cheese and fries….and a cherry soda.” I was starving again.

Cooper smiled and then turned to Norma. “Turkey sandwich. White bread. Cheddar cheese. Sliced as thin as you can make it. And a small dollop of mayonnaise.” He held his fingers up, indicating his desired amount of the condiment. “A cherry soda sounds great to me too.” He finished.

I found myself staring at him intently as he ordered. I watched his eyes light up, his body language completely focused on the task at hand. I loved that he always knew exactly what he wanted. He was so calculated and precise. It was such an intriguing quality. But I also wondered what was underneath his perfect exterior. I longed to get to know him on a deeper level.

I looked up at Norma, who was watching me. She smiled and then walked away to put our orders in and Dale turned to me. “Carrie, I need to use the men’s room. I’ll be right back.” He stood up and disappeared behind the bathroom door. 

I traced the outline of my plate and Norma walked back over to me. I gazed up at her. She was staring at me, with a grin on her face. “So how long have you been in love with him?” 

I was stunned. Was it that obvious? I felt my cheeks turn pink. It was one of those awful moments where you can feel the blush coming, but you have nothing to stop it. “I…what? I’m not…”

Norma laughed warmly and turned to continue working on orders.

I saw the bathroom door open and Dale was on his way back. I quickly turned my head away from him, trying to will the blush to recede from my cheeks, knowing that was an impossible task. 

He sat back down next to me. “So how have you enjoyed your first morning here?” He asked.

“It’s been great.” I said, peering at him and hoping my face was no longer red. 

“Excellent. Have you noticed any instinctual feelings about what you’ve seen? Any clues?”

I thought back to the initial feeling of comfort as we pulled into the Double R. Looking around at the wood planked walls and happy customers enjoying their various lunches, I replied. “I really love this place, specifically.”

He smiled. “So do I. Well, maybe we should act on that feeling. Maybe you’d like a job here?”  
I hadn’t thought of that, but it actually sounded wonderful to me. I wasn’t sure what I should do to fill my time while here in Twin Peaks, but working at a quiet friendly diner sounded ideal. I smiled, “That actually sounds like it would be really nice.”

“Perfect.” He clapped his hand down onto the counter. “Norma,” he called as she walked over with our plates of food, “Do you think you could give Carrie a job here? Just on a temporary basis of course. It might help her get to know the patrons of the town and figure out her unfinished business.”

“Absolutely,” Norma replied. “We could actually use another hand. So that would be perfect.”

I smiled at her. “Thank you Norma.” 

“Can you start tomorrow?” She asked.

“Sure!” I was excited now. I felt like I had a plan. Something to work on while I was here. I wasn’t sure of the correct direction I needed to take, but at least now I had a direction.

We at our lunches and chatted with Norma for a bit. She gave me a uniform that I could wear tomorrow. Dale ordered us each a slice of the ‘fantastic’ cherry pie. And it was just as delicious as I’d imagined.

Soon, the front door opened and in walked Sheriff Truman. I still had a surge of joy every time I saw another familiar face. It was like seeing an old friend, even though we’d never met.

“Sheriff!” Dale exclaimed. “Good to see you.” He gave Sheriff Truman a strong handshake. “Meet Carrie Sanders.” He gestured to me.

“Great to meet you Carrie.” He shook my hand and I nodded to him. He then turned back to Dale. “Coop, Gordon Cole is up at the station. He says he’d love to meet Carrie. He also has a few details of the Laura Palmer case he’d like to discuss with you.”

“Alright.” Dale looked at me. “Carrie, you up for a trip to the sheriff’s station?”

“Sure,” I replied cheerfully.


	10. Chapter 10

We walked into the sheriff’s station and were greeted immediately by Lucy to the left at her desk. “Agent Cooper! It’s nice to see you.” Her innocent and optimistic voice made me smile.

“Good afternoon Lucy.” Dale replied, just as optimistically. “This is Carrie Sanders.” He put his hand on my back again and I just about melted to the floor.

“Hi Lucy.” I smiled.

“Hi Carrie.” She paused. “So is it true that you…saw us on your television already?”

I laughed. “Yes, I did. Lots of people have.”

Her eyes got wide. “It’s amazing, I still don’t quite understand it.” 

“Me neither, Lucy.” I chuckled. 

Sheriff Truman spoke up. “Lucy, is Gordon still here?”

She was pulled from her look of awe. “Oh, yes. Agent Cooper. Gordon Cole wants to speak to you and Carrie. He’s in the smaller conference room. That’s the third one on the right. Down the hall on the left. The one with the door that has a small dent on it.” She pointed down the hall. “The room with the smaller table. Not the one with the large table.”

Dale patiently waited for her to finish. “Thank you Lucy.”

We walked into the conference room and Gordon Cole was sitting at the table. This was an especially unique experience to me, because in my dimension, we’d be led to believe that the actor who played Gordon, was also one of the writers of the show. So in my mind, he had created all of this. It was hard to pull myself from this belief and realize that he was just another real person living in this dimension, unaware of the future of anyone else around him.

He saw us come in and stood up. “COOP! GOOD TO SEE YOU!”

Dale replied, “Good to see you Gordon. This is Carrie Sa-“

Gordon cut him off, “THIS MUST BE THE INFAMOUS CARRIE SANDERS.” He pointed to me.

Dale raised his voice so that Gordon could hear him. “YES, THIS IS HER.”

“GOOD TO MEET YOU CARRIE.” Gordon shouted. He shook my hand. “HOW ARE YOU LIKING TWIN PEAKS? FOUND ANY CLUES YET?”

I replied back, raising my voice as well. “NICE TO MEET YOU TOO. I’M REALLY ENJOYING IT SO FAR.”

“SHE GOT A JOB AT THE DOUBLE R. WE THINK THAT MIGHT SPARK SOMETHING.” Dale replied.

“EXCELLENT. I HOPE IT DOES.” He barely paused. “COOP, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE LAURA PALMER CASE FOR A BIT? ALBERT ISN’T HERE, YOU’LL PROBABLY NEED TO STOP BY TOMORROW AND TALK TO HIM. BUT I THINK WE NEED SOME INFORMATION FROM YOU REGARDING YOUR PREVIOUS FINDINGS.”

Dale replied. “Sure Gordon, I’d be glad to help in any way I can. I should be able to give you a little bit of my ti-“

“DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GIVE US JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR TIME?”

Dale sighed. “THAT SHOULDN’T BE A PROBLEM GORDON.” He turned to Sheriff Truman. “Sheriff, could you take Carrie?” He gestured to me.

Gordon interrupted. “SHERIFF, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD TAKE CARRIE BACK TO THE LOBBY FOR A BIT?”

Sheriff Truman gave Dale a look and then focused back on Gordon. “SURE GORDON. I’VE GOT IT TAKEN CARE OF.”

“THANKS SHERIFF. YOU’RE A GOOD MAN.” Gordon replied.

Sheriff Truman and I left the room and he guided me back to the lobby. “Lucy, could Carrie sit with you for a bit?”

“Sure,” she smiled.

“Let me know if the two of you need anything.” And then he went into his office across the hall.

I sat with Lucy for awhile. She talked about her job there at the station, and some of the things she has to do. She talked my ear off about Andy, but it was hilarious and adorable. She also told me all she loved about Dale.

“Agent Cooper is such a nice man. You’re lucky to have him on your side.” She smiled.

“Yes, I feel very lucky. He’s been very helpful so far.”

“He seems very put together on the outside. But I think deep down, he’s missing something in his life. I can see it in his eyes sometimes.” She mused, deep in thought for a moment.

I scrunched my brow. “What do you think that is?” What was she seeing that I hadn’t noticed yet?

“I don’t know. Oh well.” She was suddenly pulled out of her thought. “See, that’s why I like Andy. He’s easy to read.” She smiled and rested her chin on her palm, staring into the distance. “I like Andy very much.”

I smiled. “I think he likes you too Lucy.”

She looked at me and a big grin spread across her face.  
Just then, Dale walked down the hallway. “Alright, ready to go Carrie?”

I said goodbye to Lucy and then we were back on the road. We drove around again for a while, remarking on the various landmarks. I took it all in, every detail, from the slopes of the distant mountains, to the curves of the winding streets. But more than anything, I took in the details of Dale. His hands on the steering wheel, guiding the car around those curves. The way his mouth moved when he told me about the delicious ice cream cones at the shop on the corner. The way his face turned serious and solemn when we drove past the Palmer house. I loved all of it. He had so many sides, and I wanted to get to know every one of them.

When we got back to the lodge, we exchanged comments about how exhausted we were, and we decided to grab some burgers to-go from the dining room and bring them back to our room. 

We made it a picnic on the bed, sitting cross legged across from each other.

We were silent for a moment, enjoying our meals, before I spoke. “I’ve been thinking about my dream. I still can’t figure out what significance it has.”

He looked up at me. “I’m still not sure either. It’s a tough one.” But his face told me something different. It seemed like he knew more than he was willing to admit. He had this reaction every time I brought the dream up. I wasn’t sure why.

I changed the subject slightly. “Dale, do you know anything about the blood test I took? Apparently my blood has an abnormality compared to others in my dimension, but it matches the blood from people here.” I searched his face, trying to see if he knew something I didn’t know.

“Unfortunately, I’m as clueless as you Carrie.” I could see the sincerity in his eyes. He really didn’t know either. 

“Do you…think I could be originally from your dimension?” I asked, hesitantly.

He pondered that. “I’ve considered that possibility. But if so, that means you would have had to come through the gate a first time, without your knowledge.” I looked at me, questioningly.

I had thought of that too. I had no recollection of that. “Exactly, I have no knowledge of that.”

“What are your memories before the last year? Before the gate supposedly opened?” He asked.

I thought back. “I used to live in San Francisco.” I paused. “You have a San Francisco, right?”

He laughed. “Yes, we do.”

“But I was still in contact with my friends once I moved, so I must have been in that dimension back then.”

He rubbed his chin. “What about your family?”

I winced the little at the subject. “They passed away in a fire a few years ago. That’s part of why I moved. I need new scenery for new memories.”

Dale put his hand on mine. “I’m so sorry.” His eyes were filled with sorrow.

“Thanks Dale. It was years ago though now. I’m learning to live with what happened.”

He held my gaze for another moment and then took his hand away. I instantly missed its warmth.

“Well,” He said, “Maybe the gate was opened another time when you were just a baby or a child, and you came through, and no one knew, and then it closed, only to reopen again earlier this year. Or maybe you aren’t from this dimension at all. There are many possibilities.”

I nodded, wishing I knew the answers. “I hope I can find out.”

“It’s my job to help you do that.” Dale said, gently. He continued to watch me for a moment, before looking down at his now empty plate. “Well, I’m quite tired. And you have a big first day on the job tomorrow.” He looked up at me and smiled. “Shall we turn in for the night?”

“I think so.” I replied. I would have loved to keep talking with him, but my eyelids were getting heavy.

He grabbed our plates and placed them outside the door. We took turns in the bathroom and then settled in. “Goodnight Dale. Thanks for everything today.”

“Anytime Carrie. It’s my pleasure.” Through the dark, I could just barely see the outline of his form in the cot. It gave me a sense of calm and security to know he would be there with me through the night.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, I donned my blue Double R uniform dress and looked at myself in the mirror. I smiled. I felt like I fit in for the first time.

Dale said that he needed to head to the Sheriff’s station for a while to speak to Albert about the Laura Palmer case. There had been another murder, this time Laura’s cousin Maddy. So Agent Jim drove me to the Double R to stand guard. It still felt silly to me that I needed to always be protected. Who would want to kill someone like me, who was on a mission to literally save the universe? But I knew that there were crazy people out there, and so I let it be. Jim sat in the corner of the diner reading the paper, so it was almost like he wasn’t there.

Norma showed me the ropes. I’d worked in a small restaurant many years ago, so I picked things up quite quickly. When the lunch rush was over, Norma and I had a chance to chat.

“So, what is it like having seen all this,” Norma gestured around the room, “before actually getting here? It must be strange.”

“It’s extremely strange. I had been led to believe you were all fictional characters before this. And now, I’ve been thrown into the story it feels like.”

“I can imagine it’s a bit disorienting.” She said.

I thought for a moment. “It’s actually comforting. Since I saw so much of you all before, it’s kind of been like coming home in a sense. You didn’t know me, but I kind of felt like you were all my friends already.”

She smiled. “You’ve been an easy friend to make, Carrie.”

I decided to dig a little deeper, since she understood that I knew a little about her. “Norma, how’s Ed? How are things going?”

She sighed and wiped her hands on her apron. “It’s just a very complicated situation.”

“I know, but the two of you, it just fits.” I said, sympathetically.

Shelly, who I had officially met that morning, walked over. “It really does Norma. You and Ed, you’re perfect together.”

Norma sighed again. “There are a lot of hurdles to jump if we are ever to truly be together.”

I frowned, sad for her situation, wishing she could truly be with the love of her life. “You deserve all of the happiness. Being with him would make you the happiest. I know it’s not all in your hands, but I’m pulling for you.”

“We both are.” Shelly added, and patted her on the back.

“Thanks,” Norma replied, and a pained, but genuine smile crossed her face.

Just then, the door swung open and Dale walked in. Since I hadn’t seen him all morning, I was struck again by the pure joy of seeing him as a real human in front of me. He was wearing another black suit with a blue striped tie, and spotless black shoes. His hair was slicked back like always, not a hair out of place. On his face, he wore a bright, sincere smile. He was perfect.

He slid onto a stool at the end of the counter, clasped his hands in front of him, and grinned at me playfully and tilted his head towards the kitchen. “Hey Norma, who’s the new waitress? She’s quite the looker.”

I turned my head to blush and looked back at Norma who grinned at me through the kitchen window.

I turned on my heel and practically skipped my way over to Dale. “Agent Cooper, what’ll it be?” I grinned at him.

“Carrie, a coffee. Black as midnight on a moonless night. And a slice of that delicious cherry pie.” He said with playful confidence.

“Coming right up.” I smiled and poured his coffee, gave him a fork and knife, and then went to the kitchen to get a slice of pie.

When I brought it back to him, I leaned onto the counter towards him. “So how did things go today?”

He looked up at me from his pie. “They went well. Albert has things under control but he appreciated my input.”

I looked at him for a moment. “I’m glad you got to get back to that case, even for just a moment.”

He stopped eating and made conscious eye contact with me. “Carrie, I’ve wanted to be an FBI agent since I was very young. It’s been a dream of mine. I’m living the dream. And part of that dream includes protecting and helping you. Don’t think for a moment that you’re taking away from that dream. You’re helping to complete it.”

I smiled, “Well, I’m glad to know that.”

“I’m glad to know _you_.” He smiled.

I laughed and stepped away to help other customers.

\---

When we got back to the lodge that evening, we had a nice dinner in the dining room. I stepped away to use the restroom, and on my way back, I noticed Audrey had stopped at our table and was talking to Dale. I paused and slid behind a column to watch. 

I peered around the column and could just barely hear their conversation.

“Audrey, I appreciate your concern, but our sleeping arrangements are working just fine. We don’t need any extra security watching the room.” I heard him say.

She was standing next to him, extremely close, her skirt just barely brushing his arm. “I just don’t want anything to happen while you’re sleeping.” She replied. “I could stay with you and we could take shifts staying awake. Carrie could take the cot and you and I could share the bed…” She was speaking seductively and then she placed a hand on Dale’s neck, tracing the base of his hairline.

He calmly but firmly took her hand and lifted it from his neck and placed it back at her side. “Audrey. You are still my good friend, and you always will be. But that is all we will ever be.” He looked squarely at her. “You are 18. You’re almost a child. I am 35. I am a grown man. Friendship is as far as this will go.”

Her body deflated. 

He sensed her defeat. “Audrey, you are a beautiful young lady, and someone will see how much you are worth. Someone your own age.”

Audrey looked down at her hands. “Agent Cooper, you will always be a good friend.” And she turned on her heel and left his table and out the opposite door of the dining room.

Dale took a breath and then went back to his dinner.

I stayed next to the column for a moment. While I felt terribly sorry for Audrey, I felt a surge of joy, seeing that he was not going to act on his feelings for her. That meant there was a spot open in his heart for someone else. I’d love to be the one to slip in that opening. But I also knew that I’d be leaving this place soon, and the idea of getting involved was a dangerous one. I had a job to do, and I needed to focus. Still, helpless to avoid my emotions, I walked back over to the table with a small pep in my step.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, everyone at the diner was talking about the local fair that would be taking place that night. There were going to be games and prizes and a ferris wheel. It sounded magical. Dale was in and out all day, back and forth from the Sheriff’s station. Jim had the fun job of reading the paper in the corner again.

At 8:30, as my shift was ending, Dale showed up, but this time he was dressed in khaki slacks and a plaid shirt. 

I gave him a funny look when he walked in and he smiled. Leaning on the counter in front of me he said, “I thought maybe you wanted to go to the fair tonight. I figured my suit wasn’t the right option.”

I grinned from ear to ear.

He held up a bag. “I brought you a change of clothes.”

I changed in the bathroom and then we headed out. As we were leaving, I looked back at Norma and she was smiling. “Have fun you two!”

At the fair, we got ourselves each a corn dog and ambled around, enjoying watching the children playing for prizes.

Dale stopped in front of the ferris wheel. He looked down at me. “What do you think?”

“About what?” I looked up at the wheel. “That?”

He smiled at my response. “Yes, _that_. Do you want to go?”

“I don’t know, do special agents ride ferris wheels?” I joked.

He laughed. “I haven’t been on one in ages. I’d love to see if my inner child is still in there somewhere.”

“Let’s do it.” I smiled.

The ride came to a stop in front of us and we stepped into the car and sat down, facing each other. The ride began to move again and we ascended into the air. It was a clear, crisp night, and the town was beautiful viewed from above.

Dale stared down at the small streets below us. “You know, I’ve never seen Twin Peaks from this angle. It really is spectacular.”

“It is.” I agreed.

Then he turned his gaze to me, studying my face. “Carrie, what was your childhood like? Was it carefree?”

I smiled, thinking back to my childhood. Days spent playing outside in the sun. Home cooked dinners with my family. It was a wonderful childhood. “I had a really great childhood. My parents were wonderful. I didn’t have many worries, and I had good friends. I’m very grateful for all of that.”

He was smiling and watching me as I spoke. “What about high school and beyond? Many boyfriends?”

Hi question made my stomach jump slightly. “I had one serious boyfriend, but it ended about 4 years ago. It wasn’t working for many reasons.”

“That happens.” He replied. “I’m sure you’re better for it now.”

I nodded. “How was your childhood?”

He sighed. “I was kind of all over the place. I was always trying to solve ‘crimes.’” He used air quotes. “It’s always been in my blood. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been trying to save people, or animals…or bugs. Whatever I could get my hands on.” He chuckled.

“I think it’s so great that you’re so passionate about what you do.” I tilted my head, looking at him.

“I am lucky to be where I am.” He said. “What is your career? I don’t think I’ve ever asked you.” He sat up in his seat, interested in my response.

“I’m an accountant.” I laughed.

He grinned. “A very respectable position indeed. Where would our finances be without you?”

“We’re both just saving the world.” I laughed sarcastically.

His face became serious. “You are saving the world Carrie.” He paused. “How are you feeling? I’m sure its stressful, knowing how much pressure this has put on you.”

I so appreciated his sympathy towards my situation. “I’m doing ok. I’m really just trying to take things day by day. I’m trying to let my own desires and feelings dictate what happens next. Supposedly, that’s what will lead me in the correct direction.”

“You’re absolutely right Carrie. You’re doing wonderfully. Have you felt a pull towards anything specific yet?”

I laughed in my head. Other than you? “Not particularly. But I really do feel like working at the Double R is where I should be.”

“Well we’ll stay on that path for now then.” Dale smiled.

\---

When we got back to our room, we both sat down on the bed. Our conversation was flowing so freely now. We’d been chatting nonstop all the way home from the fair. We had a lot of the same interests and felt very similar towards life in general. It felt like we were building a connection.

“That was a lot of fun Dale, thanks for taking me.” I smiled. As I sat down on the bed, the hem of my skirt had ridden up just a little more than I intended, revealing my upper thigh. I looked up at Dale, and his gaze had caught the moment as well. I saw him linger for just a moment before I reached down to straighten it out. 

He cleared his throat and looked away quickly. “A little fun at the fair is good for the soul.” He smiled.

I instantly scanned the room, trying to think of something to take the focus off of my previously exposed thigh. I looked at the bed, thinking about sleep. “I, uh, I’m so glad I’m not having that reoccurring dream anymore. It was becoming exhausting.” I paused. “But I still can’t help but wonder if that dream had any more meaning I should be studying.”

Dale didn’t say anything for a moment. He was looking at his hands and trying to decide what to say. Then he turned his body towards me. “Carrie, I don’t know why I haven’t told you this yet. I guess maybe I thought it wasn’t important, but I’m starting to think that maybe it is.”

I stared back at him questioningly. What could he have to tell me that he’s been holding back?

He took a deep breath. “I had been having reoccurring dreams as well, in the months prior to your arrival.” He searched my eyes, trying to see what my response was.

“What were your dreams about?” This was interesting. Could his dreams have a connection to mine? But even so, what would he have to do with this journey?

He hesitated for a moment before he spoke. “I thought it was just coincidence. But I should have known better. I should know more than anyone to look deeper into my dreams.” His eyes were locked on mine. “In my dream, I was always standing, looking out my hotel window with my hands in my pockets, and then I would hear the door open. I would try to turn around and see who it was, but I never made it that far….until it happened in real life with you.”

My mouth dropped open. “So you and I dreamt of the same situation, but from our own perspectives?”

“I think so. And again, I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I thought that maybe it was just a premonition, letting me know when and how you’d arrive. But now,” He paused, “as I’ve gotten to know you more, I feel like we are developing a connection, and I wonder if I am actually destined to help you solve this.”

I felt the connection. I felt it so strongly. But to know that he was feeling it on his end too, gave me a surge of joy. “So you think this is more than you just being assigned to the job because of your location?”

He nodded. “Now I’m wondering if I were pulled here to Twin Peaks so that I could help you. It’s beginning to feel that way.”

I stared at him in awe. “Did you start having the dreams before you knew this case started?  
“Yep, it was before anyone told me about it.” He replied.

I thought for a moment. “That’s interesting, because you didn’t even know who I was then. You didn’t even know I existed. I knew you well at the point I started having the dreams.”

He smiled at me for a moment and then placed his fingers on his chin, looking at me curiously. “So what did you think about me before meeting me?” He had a mischievous grin.

I felt the blush flooding my face, and I had no hope to stop it. I looked down at my lap, trying to conceal my face. “I sure thought you were a pretty cool FBI agent.” I grinned and looked up at him, letting my face been seen.

He smiled at me, acknowledging my blush with his gentle expression.

I steadied my face. “I felt like I knew you so well before I met you. But I’m finding out that there was so much more. To me, you were a figment of someone’s imagination before, but you’re a real human with wonderful thoughts and feelings, and I can see you so much more clearly now. I feel lucky that I’ve gotten to know the real you.”

Dale smiled, a genuine smile. He reached out his hand and placed it on top of mine. “Carrie Sanders, you are a remarkable woman. I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know you as well.”

His hand was so warm and reassuring. There was that electricity again, firing through the nerves were our hands touched. I never wanted to move from this spot. 

Dale gazed into my eyes for a moment. He seemed to have an inner monologue in his head, before he blinked and pulled his hand away. He cleared his throat and stood up. 

My hand felt cold in his absence. I was pulled back to my senses.

“Shall we call it a night?” He asked, already pulling down the sheets to his cot.

“I think so.” I replied, feeling sad that our moment was over, but knowing it was for the best. I could tell he was struggling internally about his thoughts towards me, but I was sure that he also knew how this would end. I would solve the unfinished business and then leave, and we would never see each other again. It was for the best that we didn’t stoke any fires. Suddenly I had butterflies in my stomach, understanding what was actually happening. Was he developing feelings towards me? My heart broke internally, realizing that, as much as this would be a dream come true, I had to contain my feelings. Things would not be pretty in the end if I gave in now.


	13. Chapter 13

Dale and I arrived at the diner the next morning to see Norma standing next to another woman in a blue Double R uniform. They were facing away from us, talking about the coffee machine.

Norma turned around to see us and smiled. “Oh! Carrie, Agent Cooper, meet my sister, Annie.”

The new woman turned around and she saw me, and then her eyes scanned to Dale. She locked in on him and smiled. “Hi! I’m Annie.” She outstretched her hand to him. 

He hesitated, and then crossed the distance to the counter and took her hand in his. “Annie, its wonderful to meet you.” He had a twinkle in his eye that I didn’t like. 

I walked around the end of the counter and towards her to introduce myself, but she was still staring at Dale. And much to my dismay, he was still staring at her. They were chatting about something concerning and penguin and a tuxedo. 

I turned around and went to put on my apron instead, trying to be glad that he was taking a liking to a woman who wouldn’t be leaving to another dimension at any moment.

“And the second penguin said, ‘maybe I am.’” Suddenly, they erupted in laughter.

I sighed and caught Norma’s eye. She was looking at me, sympathetically. I waved her off and started taking the order of a man sitting at the counter. He was trying to tell me specifically how he would like his eggs cooked, but I barely heard any of it because I was trying to listen to Dale and Annie.

‘What can I get you?” I heard Annie ask him.

“Coffee. Black. And two eggs, over easy. Thank you Annie” He replied.

She poured his coffee and then left him to put in the order.

He was smiling at her as she left, and then he caught my eye. He smiled brightly at me.

I returned it with a smile of barely half the intensity and continued my work. 

Annie passed me on her way to the kitchen, “Hi, Carrie, is it? It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled and shook my hand.

“Nice to meet you.” I forced a smile. “Norma, how’s Ed doing?” I asked, as she walked by.

“I think we’re going to see each other tonight.” She grinned. “It’s been awhile.”

“That’s great!” I smiled, genuinely happy for them.

She looked over at Dale. Annie was talking with him again. “Carrie, I’m sorry about…I didn’t”

I held up my hand. “He needs to meet someone who will still be around when I’m gone. No need to apologize for anything.”

We watched them for a moment and then Norma went back to work.

I tried to will myself to be happy for Dale. I really wanted to be. I busied myself with scrubbing a tough stain on the counter, and was deep in thought, when suddenly, someone was sitting in front of me.

“Elbow grease does wonders, doesn’t it?” Dale was perched on the stool in front of me, peering at my bowed head.

I looked up at him. He was smiling sincerely. I smiled back and then continued rubbing.

He took a sip of his coffee, which he had brought with him from his original seat. “This is good, but the Carrie pour is far superior.”

I grinned into the grimy spot on the counter.

\---

The rest of the day was much of the same. Annie showed an interest in Dale. He enjoyed speaking with her, but he always came back to me. It made my heart sing each time he turned the conversation back to me.

When it was time to close up for the night, Norma and Annie had to leave early, so I was left to finish. Dale sat at the end of the counter, eating a slice of cherry pie as I shut down the machines. 

“This pie never gets old.” He smacked his lips as he took a bite.

I walked over to the counter and leaned forward towards him, resting on my elbows. “So what should we do tonight?”

He dipped his finger into a dollop of whipped cream, looked at it for a moment, and quickly, before I had a chance to react, touched it to the tip of my nose.

I jumped back, surprised. He chuckled and I wiped it from my nose with my apron, laughing.

“How about we bring a couple of extra slices of pie to our room? I could go for a relaxing evening.” He grinned and reached out to wipe off an extra bit of whipped cream I missed.

“That sounds like the perfect combination of delicious and relaxing.” I smiled at him.

I wrapped up 2 slices of cherry pie, locked up the diner and we were on our way back.

As we pulled into the hotel parking lot, it began to rain. Dale looked out the window of the car at the stormy sky. “You want to make a run for it?” 

“I won’t melt. Will you?” I teased.

He grinned and opened his door. I did the same and we started to run towards the entrance. As we did, the raindrops became more persistent. By the time we reached the door, we were completely drenched. Once inside the door, we were laughing and trying to shake ourselves off.

I looked up at him. His laugh was so carefree and innocent. He was wiping his face with his already soaking wet sleeve and his hair was completely disheveled. Sections of his hair were hanging down in front of his face. This was the least put together I had ever seen him, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“Come on, let’s go get dried off.” He laughed, and put his hand on my back, guiding us to our room.

When we got there, I shivered a bit, cold in my soaking wet clothes. Dale saw me shaking, and disappeared into the bathroom. He returned with a fluffy white towel and wrapped it around my shoulders.

“Thank you,” I said, grateful. 

Dale peeled off his wet coat and threw it over the chair. It made an awful slosh sound and we both laughed. I sat down on the bed and began using the towel to wring out my drenched hair. I watched as he unbuttoned his white shirt and then pulled it off his shoulders. Underneath was just his white undershirt, which was also almost completely wet. Because it was saturated with water, it was also becoming transparent. I tried to look away, but I couldn’t. His torso was chiseled in just the perfect way. The shirt clung to his chest and I let myself stare, unrestrained.

To my dismay, he finished changing in the bathroom, and I did so as well after him. When I came back out, he had laid the slices of pie on the bed, as well as checkers board with all of the pieces lined up, and he was sitting, cross-legged on top of the quilt, smiling at me. His hair was combed back except for one small section that dangled in front of his forehead, unaided by the typical gel he used.

I hopped up on the bed and he handed me a fork. “Care for a game of checkers?” He asked.

“Seems like the perfect complement to cherry pie,” I joked.

“You can go first.” He gestured to me.

Within the first 3 minutes of our game, he’d already been kinged, twice. I laughed at my failure.

“Carrie, the game of checkers is a simple, yet unbelievably complex. There are almost an infinite number of possible board positions. It’s kind of like life. We have so many options, yet sometimes the answers are simple.”

“Yes, but sometimes the answers are impossible to find” I laughed, as I moved a piece, only to be taken out by Dale’s next play.

“But you see, even if you make the wrong choice, sometimes it sets you up for a line of successes.” He pointed to the board, and I realized that my move to lose a piece, had set me up for a line of three of his pieces that I could take in one move.

I moved my piece across the board, taking three of his as I went, and he continued speaking. “I think that even though this gate has opened and caused this distress and worry for you, I think you will find great joy in whatever successes come from it.”

I smiled up at him, impressed by the way he viewed the world. 

He was looking at the board, concentrating. “But then again, sometimes, you’ve just got to lose a game of checkers.” And with that, he hopped one of his pieces across the final 5 I had on the board, and slammed it down, completing the game.

“AARGHHH.” I let out a frustrated laugh and flopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

I heard Dale chuckle and he shoved the game to the end of the bed and laid down on the other side, a good 2 feet of distance between us.

“Good game.” I said, and reached out my hand to him. He took it, and then held it a few seconds longer than a typical handshake. His palm was warm against mine.

He finally pulled his hand away from mine and pointed towards the wooden ceiling. It was filled with knots and unique patterns in the grain of the wood. “Does that look like a duck to you?” He asked.

I laughed, “What?”

“That shape, right there,” He pointed again. “Doesn’t that look like a duck? See the feet and the beak?”

I slid myself towards him a bit so that I could view it from his perspective. While still looking up, he tilted his head towards mine and raised his arm again so that we were both staring down the length of it.

“Ok, yeah I can see that.” I laughed again and then searched the rest of the ceiling. “What about that one?” I pointed at another area. “It’s a….squirrel with an umbrella.”

“I see it!” He exclaimed, and then put his hand to his forehead, laughing at the absurdity of the game. We pointed out shapes for a while, becoming slap-happy after a long day.

I yawned, realizing how tired I actually was. I rolled over, facing him, and he did the same. Our faces were a mere 10 inches apart. “Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m actually in Twin Peaks, looking at you.” 

A section of my hair, still damp from the rain, fell in front of my face. Dale reached out and brushed it away, tucking it behind my ear. “If I’d seen you on TV before this, I’d have been extremely eager to finally meet you for real.” He smiled.

I grinned. “Yeah that’s pretty much how it went for me.” I looked at him coyly.

He yawned and then studied me for a moment. “How old are you, Carrie?”

“27.” I replied, sleepily.

He smiled. “You’re very beautiful. I’ve thought that since the first time I saw you.” I could see his eyes starting to get heavy too. He was speaking his mind out of exhaustion, rather than coherent thought. It was interesting, seeing him, not in complete control of his words.

My heart went aflutter, and a surge of adrenaline, powered by his compliment, woke me up slightly from my daze. “Thank you, Dale.” I cooed, waiting to see what he might say next.

But he was already asleep. I smiled, basking in the moment. I knew that his words came from a place of truth. A place that he usually kept hidden, but was unable to contain in his sleepy state. I watched his face. It was so peaceful. I wondered if he’d remember any of this in the morning. Then I shut my eyes and let slumber take me over as well.


	14. Chapter 14

I awoke to sharp movements of the bed. I opened my eyes and tried to focus, blinking repeatedly. Dale was sitting on the edge of the bed, buttoning his shirt, facing away from me. Memories flooded in from the previous night. Memories of giggling and finding silly woodland creatures in the patterns of the ceiling.

“Good morning.” I said cheerfully, stretching my arms above my head.

“Good morning, Carrie.” Dale replied, not turning to look at me.

“Did you sleep well?” I questioned, trying to peer around to him.

“Just fine.” He replied, simply.

Something was wrong. What could have happened between last night and this morning that I didn’t catch? “Is everything alright?” I asked, concerned.

He stood up and walked over to the desk in the room and shuffled through some papers and then sighed. He turned to look at me. “Carrie, I let my guard down last night, and that is not something I should have done. I should have known better.”

I frowned and he continued. “I have a personal policy about these kinds of things. There are consequences, and you are involved in a case I am responsible for. I refuse to accept the consequences again.”

“Again? Did someone hurt you?” I asked, curious.

He reached for his suit coat. “No, someone was hurt by me. And I’ll never let that happen again.” He looked me in the eye, content but saddened by his words.

“What happened?” I paused, trying to figured out what could cause him to have such strict boundaries. “Did someone die?”

“As a matter of fact, she did.” He looked back down at his papers. “Would you like to know how?”

I let out a small gasp, staring at him sympathetically.

He looked back up at me, and when I didn’t say anything, he continued. “She was a material witness to a federal crime. We were supposed to protect her.” He stared out the window, as if reliving the memories. “24 hours a day. My partner and I. Windom Earle was his name. He taught me everything I know about being a special agent. And, when the attempt on her life was finally made, I wasn’t ready…” The last few words came out as almost a whisper, and I could see the pain in his eyes. “Because I…” But he didn’t continue that sentence. He stared down at his hands and let out a long breath. “She died in my arms.” He looked back at me, pulled out of his trance for a moment. “I was badly injured. And my partner lost his mind.” He straightened the lapels on his jacket. “Need to hear any more?”

I stared at him, my eyes were watering. I felt so much sorrow for this man and the things he’d been through. But I understood. I understood why he felt the way he felt, and as sad as that made me feel, to my very core, I accepted his reasoning. “I’m so sorry.” I said, and looked down at the bedspread.

“Carrie, you live and you learn. I learned, and now I can continue living, making better decisions because of it.” He took a deep breath and looked at me. “Last night was a lot of fun. But It should not have happened. I have been hired to protect you, and that is what I will do, nothing more.”

“I understand.” But I did not look up.

Dale sat down at the desk to organize the papers. I got up and walked past him towards the bathroom. I noticed the pager sitting on the corner of the desk, still as inactive as it had been on the day he received it. For the first time, I looked at it and wished that it would light up with “COMPLETE.” If being here meant pining over someone I couldn’t have, I didn’t want to be here at all.

\---

The rest of the day was much of the same. We drove to the diner in mostly silence, and Dale spent the majority of the morning sitting in the corner booth, reading the paper, as agent Jim had done before. 

I went on with business, trying to not let it bother me. I was drying a coffee mug when Norma suddenly was standing next to me. She was looking across the diner at Dale. “What’s going on?” She asked. “You two aren’t your usual cheerful selves today.”

I sighed and looked up at Dale. He didn’t notice our conversation. “Everything is fine. In fact, everything is how it should be. Agent Cooper is protecting me and helping me solve my unfinished business, and that is all.”

Norma placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently, but I didn’t look up at her. Instead, I continued. “When I leave here, I’ll never have contact with any of you ever again, anyway. This is all for the best.”

We both watched as Annie walked over to Dale’s table to refill his coffee. I could almost feel my lip curl into a grimace as I watched to see what kind of exchange was about to take place. 

She smiled brightly at him, pouring his coffee. “Beautiful day, isn’t it Agent Cooper?”

He barely looked up from his paper. “Yes it is. Thank you Annie.” He took a sip from his coffee and continued reading. Annie paused for a moment, and then turned and walked away. Dale never flinched.

I smiled to myself. _Well, at least if I can’t have him, neither can she._

At some point, Sheriff Truman came in and sat with Dale for quite a while, discussing police business. Then they left for a few hours and left lucky Jim with me. 

By the end of the night, I was trying to put an end to my internal pity party and trying to focus on my journey here. I had to figure out what I needed to do. Was there someone I needed to save? A life I needed to change? It was still so foggy to me. I’d ben clouding my mind so much with my feelings for Dale, that I had probably been missing the clues I needed to be noticing.

My shift ended at 8pm. Dale showed up right on time, at 7:55, to let Jim go, and to drive me back to the hotel.

We were almost back to the Great Northern before either of us said anything. “Any news on the Laura Palmer case?” I asked.

He looked up from the road, surprised that I had spoken. “Yes, they’re very close. They plan to make an arrest tomorrow.”

“That’s great.” I replied, trying to sound cheerful.

“Yes, it’s a long time coming. It’s time to finally close that case.” He sighed, looking back at the road. 

I frowned, looking forward, following the headlights as they illuminated the road. I wondered if he wished he could have finished the case more quickly, before Maddy died as well. “Do you think the same person killed Maddy?”

“We have sufficient evidence to believe so.” He replied simply.

I thought about that as we parked and walked into the hotel. I wondered who it could be. With someone on the loose like that, I felt glad to have Dale near me at all times.

We finished the night in mostly silence. A few passing words were spoken as we got ready for bed, but Dale slipped silently into his cot for the night. I curled up in my bed, memories flashing back to the night before. Just 24 hours ago, we’d been joking and laughing, right here in this bed, exposing feelings for one another. I was so happy in that moment. Now he was in his cot, and I was still in the bed, and I was at a loss about what to do next.


	15. Chapter 15

The next afternoon was incredibly similar to the day before, until the diner phone rang. I went to answer it and immediately held the phone away from my ear, as the person on the other end was clearly yelling. I recognized it immediately as Gordon Cole.

“CARRIE! IS AGENT COOPER THERE? I NEED TO SPEAK TO HIM IMMEDIATELY!” He shouted.

I spoke loudly back to him, “YES HIS IS, GORDON. HOLD ON.”

I set down the receiver and walked quickly over to Dale, who was reading the paper again. “Dale?”

He lowered the paper, surprised by my presence. “Carrie? Is something the matter?” He looked concerned.

“No…well I mean, I don’t know. Gordon Cole is on the phone.” I pointed back towards the counter. “It sounded urgent.”

Dale frowned and set the paper down. He stood up and I moved aside as he took 3 strides towards the counter. He picked up the phone. “GORDON. WHAT IS IT?” He said in a raised voice.

I could hear Gordon on the other end. I was sure most of the rest of the diner could as well. “COOP. LELAND PALMER HAS BEEN ARRESSTED.” 

My eyes grew wide. Leland Palmer? Laura’s father? It couldn’t be.

Dale replied. “GLAD TO HEAR THAT…”

Gordon interrupted him. “THERE’S A PROBLEM THOUGH COOP. LELAND WENT BONKERS AS SOON AS THEY LOCKED HIM UP. THEN HE HUG HIMSELF BY HIS BELT IN HIS CELL.”

Dale looked off into the distance. “My God…”

“WHATS THAT COOP?” Gordon replied.

Dale shook his head. “GORDON, THAT’S BIG NEWS. I’LL HEAD OVER AND SEE IF I CAN BE OF ANY HELP.”

“GOOD ON YA, COOP. THEY’RE STILL TRYING TO SORT THINGS OUT. TALK TO YOU LATER.”

“Bye Gordon.” Dale said more quietly, and then hung up the phone, not tearing his eyes away from a random spot on the wall.

I realized I’d been standing still for the entire conversation, staring at Dale.

He turned and looked at me. “Leland is dead.” He said, breathless.

“Did he kill Laura and Maddy?” I asked, in awe.

“I believe he did….I wonder if they got a confession…” He mused. Then he picked up the phone again. “I’m going to get Jim here. I need to head to the sheriff’s station.”

Jim was there within 5 minutes, miraculously, and Dale was out the door just as fast.

Norma and I discussed the enormity of the situation, wondering how a father could do that to his child.

Eventually, evening fell, and Dale walked through the door. “Thanks again, Jim.” He nodded his head in Jim’s direction as he walked in.

Jim shuffled past him out the door. 

“Ready to go, Carrie?” Dale asked me from the door.

“Let me just grab my things.” I took off my apron and hung it up and grabbed my bag. Dale held open the door for me and then we got in the car and pulled away from the diner.

When he didn’t say anything for a while, I spoke first. “So, how’s it going at the station?”

He sighed. “It’s a bit hectic over there. They were able to get a confession from him, but now that he’s gone, there are a lot of loose ends.”

“Do they know why he hung himself?” It sounded like a naïve question, but I was curious.

Dale looked at me briefly. “It sounds like, he suddenly realized the gravity of what he did…couldn’t bear to live with himself.”

I looked down at my lap, sadly. I was so angry with the man, but if he really was sorry, I knew his anger at himself must exceed that of anyone else around him. We were silent for a few moments, both inside our own thoughts.

“How was the rest of your day?” Dale suddenly asked.

My head snapped up. This was the least quiet he’d been to me since 2 nights ago. “It was fine. Had someone eat 5 slices of pie today.”

Dale laughed. “I think I could beat that.” It was a real genuine laugh and I smiled, seeing some of his infectious personality showing through again. Maybe we could actually remain friends, I thought to myself.

We’d arrived at the hotel. It was a crisp cool night. “I’d like to see that.” I said, as we stepped out of the car.

He smiled and we walked towards the hotel. I was just a step behind his trailing trench coat. 

Just as we made it to the front door, I felt an aggressive hand grab the back of my collar, yanking me backwards and almost knocking me down. Just as fast as I could barely scream, Dale had turned around, slammed his elbow down on the mysterious arm, grabbed me and shoved me behind him and pulled out his gun, pointing it toward the perpetrator. It all happened so quickly I could barely comprehend the situation.

In front us stood someone who I had never seen before. He was an averaged sized man. Maybe in his 20’s, dressed in all black. Dale had one arm outstretched, pointing his gun at the man. His other arm was reached behind him, holding me there. He towered over me, completely shadowing me from the man. I grasped the back of his coat and peered around him.

The man raised his hands up in the air slowly and then spoke. “She’s not one of us.” He nodded towards me. “She’s an alien. Get her off our planet.” he grimaced and looked at me like I was an ogre.

Dale spoke calmly. “She is not an alien. She has reason to be here. Now, get down on the ground, slowly.”

I was shaking behind Dale, clinging to his coat, leaning into the warmth of his rigid back.

“Likely story…” The man said, as he slowly laid down, face down, on the ground.

Dale’s arm followed him down with his gun, never looking away.

Suddenly two other agents burst from the doors behind me and jumped onto the man, handcuffing him.

Dale holstered his gun and spun around to me, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Are you ok?” His eyes were worried. “Is your neck ok?” He flattened my misplaced collar.

My hands were still holding onto his coat, and my eyes were searching blankly. My heart was racing. “I’m fine, I’m fine.” I gasped. “Who _was_ that?”

“I’m not sure.” Dales eyebrows furrowed. “Let’s get you inside.” He put his arm around me and guided me through the doors and to our room.

Once inside, he took a blanket from the chair and wrapped it around my shoulders. He sat me down on the bed and then walked over to the phone. He picked it up and dialed. “Yeah, Harry? She’s safe. We’re in her room now. We’re going to stay here until this is figured out.”

I backed up to the headboard and began to shiver, a single tear streaming down my cheek. I was terrified. Who wanted me hurt?

“Thanks Harry, yes they’ve got it taken care of. Yep, talk to you in the morning.” He hung up the phone and looked towards me.

My eyes were red and I was still shaking. He looked at me with concern and then sat down next to me on the bed. “Are you sure you’re ok? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m not hurt.” I sniffled. “That was just…terrifying.” Another tear escaped my eye.

I looked up into his eyes. He was staring deeply into mine. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Carrie.” He reached out and pulled me into him. My head buried in his chest, he smelled of spruce and roasted coffee beans and aftershave, and I felt his warm, confident arms around me. He smelled amazing, and it felt unexplainably wonderful, feeling him hold me like this. More tears escaped my eyes. This time they fell for not only my fear of the strange man who attacked me, but also for the fear that I would never get to feel Dale’s arms around me like this again.

We sat like this for a few minutes and Dale began to slowly stroke my back. I felt safer that I’d ever felt in my life, even before my journey to Twin Peaks. I was beginning to drift, my body shutting down after the ordeal.

Eventually, I felt his body move slightly, as if about to release me. I tensed, anticipating his absence of touch, knowing he was going to go to his cot. But I was still in such a state of shock from the incident, I didn’t think I’d be able to fall asleep. I needed to feel completely protected.

He leaned backwards, focusing on me, searching my face to see how I was feeling. 

I looked up at him pleadingly, staring deeply into his eyes. “Please stay…” My eyes searched back and forth between his, gauging his reaction.

He stared at me for a long moment. I could see the conflict in his eyes. He seemed to be weighing his options heavily, fighting himself over a decision. He finally let out a breath he must have been holding. He moved his right hand to his tie, loosening it, and swung his legs up on the bed.

I sighed and closed my eyes, basking in the security of his response. I shifted myself down into the bed and he laid down next to me as I rolled into him, laying my head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around me and I breathed in his scent. I felt his slow breathing on my forehead and I relaxed into him. He was tense at first, but I eventually felt him relax into me as well.


	16. Chapter 16

I opened my eyes slowly, squinting into the morning light. As my vision focused, I noticed the slow rising and falling of the chest of a body next to mine. And then it all came back to me.

I smiled, remembering that Dale had stayed with me that night. He’d held me close as we both fell into a deep sleep. I could feel his right arm, still underneath me, cradling me. I focused on his face. It was so peaceful. He was still asleep and his lips were slightly parted as he breathed slowly and evenly. I watched him for a moment, hoping that he was having a peaceful dream and that all of his worries were far away for the moment.

It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that I’d slept in his arms. Last night had been one of the most terrifying moments of my life, but as soon as Dale had pulled his gun on the man, I knew that he had everything taken care of. I trusted him completely to keep me safe. And when he agreed to stay with me in bed, my body had relaxed completely and was able to drift quickly to sleep. I was endlessly grateful that he had dropped his personal policies to keep me feeling safe during the night. I could tell that he really did care about me, and I was realizing that I cared for him more than I could have even expected. I thought back to the day I was told I’d be entering Twin Peaks. I was so excited at the prospect of finally meeting the man who I was so mesmerized by. But at that point, I had no idea how those feelings would grow. They were so much more now. So much deeper. So much stronger…

Dale’s eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times, getting his bearings, and then turned his head towards mine, realizing I was there. He smiled, and we shared a moment of eye contact, just allowing ourselves to enjoy the closeness. 

Then his facial expression suddenly changed, as if he was remembering last night. “How are you?” He asked, concerned.

“Better.” I replied. “Thank you for staying with me.”

He nodded, and then pulled his arm out from under me and sat up on the edge of the bed, facing away from me. He brought his hands to his forehead, rubbing it slowly. “Carrie…you know that last night doesn’t change anything.”

“I know.” I said quietly.

He still didn’t look at me. “I’m using all of my effort here, trying to stay professional about this.” He turned and looked at me. “First and foremost, I want you to be safe. That is my job. Last night, your emotional safety was high on the list of my priorities.” He paused. “So I stayed close to you throughout the night, so that you would feel safe. But we can’t let this cloud our ability to solve the task at hand.”

I nodded reluctantly, and he continued, more gently. “Carrie, you’ll be leaving here soon. When you leave, and go back to your friends in your dimension, I will just be a memory. We’ll never see each other again.” He looked so sad as he said this.

I knew he was just trying to protect us both. But it was so painful. I took a deep breath and sat up. “You’re right. I need to focus on my purpose here. But it is so incredibly difficult. I can’t seem to take my mind off you.” I peered up through my eyelashes, afraid of his reaction.

I saw the corners of his mouth turn up in the hint of a smile before he bit his lip, trying to stifle it. He put his hand on my knee, reassuringly, and then stood up. “Well, I’d like us to stay here at the Great Northern today, while things cool down. Let’s go get some breakfast and then we’ll work on a list of possible leads we have regarding your unfinished business. It may help to get it on paper.”

I sighed and then climbed out of bed. “Yeah, that’ll be a start at least.”

\---

We ate our breakfast in the dining room and then got to work discussing some of the possible clues I’d experienced here so far. We examined many possibilities, leading us into the lunch hour.

“So you said you felt right at home at the Double R?” Dale asked.

“Yes, from the moment I walked in, it just felt right.” I replied, taking a bite of my lunch.

Dale scribbled something down on the notepad he had brought with him. “So what about the diner has been important to you? Anyone or anything?”

I thought for a moment. “I’ve become quite close to Norma. Maybe something with her? Helping she and Ed get together?”

“That’s a possibility.” Dale said, writing it down. “Maybe investigate that further tomorrow. Ask Norma if there is anything you can do for her.”

I rested my chin in my hand and looked out the window. I cared about Norma a lot, but the pull towards her wasn’t as intense as I felt it needed to be. “Maybe one of these days I’ll randomly get the chance to save someone’s life. There will be no clues leading up to it. It’ll just be as simple as that.”

“That’s true as well.” Dale replied.

Suddenly Ben Horne was at our table. We both looked up at him. He had his hand at his chest. “Have you seen Audrey?” He asked us.

“Sorry, we haven’t.” Dale said. “Is something the matter?”

Ben’s hand fell to his side. “No.” He said defeated. “I just missed her this morning before she left.” He paused. “She took off with Jack Wheeler. Brazil. That child is unbelievable.”

“Is there anything I can do, Ben?” Dale asked.

Ben sighed. “No, Jack is a good man. She’ll be fine. But I was looking for one more chance to dissuade her.”

“I’m sorry.” Was all that Dale said. 

Ben looked back up to him, as if remembering something. “Oh, you have a phone call by the way. At the front desk” He pointed.

Dale stood up. “Excuse me Carrie.” He said and then turned to Ben and patted him on the back. “Thank you.”

Dale walked towards the front desk and Ben hesitated before walking away as well. I went back to my lunch. I was surprised that Audrey was off to Brazil so suddenly, but also not surprised. She acted on her emotions too quickly, and it didn’t bode well for her. 

Soon, Dale came back and sat down across from me. His face was uneasy.

“Is something the matter?” I asked.

He brought his hand to his chin, staring through his coffee mug. “Remember I told you about my partner who lost his mind? Windom Earle was his name.”

I thought back to our conversation. “…yes?”

“He’s escaped.” He replied simply.

I tilted my head. “Well, they’ll find him, right? He can’t have gotten too far?”

Dale looked at me worriedly. “He’s dangerous….especially to me.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “To you? Why?”

He took a breath and stared at me for a moment, trying to decide if he wanted to tell me more. “What I didn’t tell you before was that the woman who died was his wife.”

My mouth opened slightly in awe.

“And she and I…” He trailed off. “He knew about us.”

I didn’t say anything. 

“He attempted to murder both of us…and succeeded with her.”

“And he’s currently on the loose?” I breathed, stunned.

“Yes…this is bad.” Dale looked out the window.


	17. Chapter 17

That afternoon, we spent most of our time in our room. I tried to read a book I’d found in the hotel library, but mostly I watched Dale. He was visibly nervous in the chair across the room, acting like he was reading his book on Tibet, but he’d go a half hour without turning a page, and he kept looking out the window, deep in thought.

Just before dinner, the phone rang. Dale jumped up to get it. “Cooper here.” He paused, listening to the person on the other end. “Alright, thanks Harry. We’ll be there soon.”

He hung up, grabbed his coat and looked at me. “They’ve got the identity of the man who tried to attack you. They’d like to ask you a few questions and get a statement from you. Mind if we head to the sheriff’s station now?”

“Sure,” I replied, happy to get out of the room.

When we arrived, Dale took me into the conference room. He and Sheriff Truman sat down on the opposite side of the table from me.

Sheriff Truman spoke “Carrie, we just need an official statement from you before we give you any more information about the incident. What do you remember happening?”

I thought back to last night. “Well, we were coming home from the diner. It was maybe 8:30. We were walking towards the door to the Great Northern, and suddenly someone grabbed onto the back of my collar. He almost pulled me onto the ground but Dale….I mean Agent Cooper,” I blushed, realizing I shouldn’t be using his name so informally in front of the Sheriff. “He knocked the guy out of the way and pushed me behind him. Then he drew his gun on the man, who put his hands up and got to the ground.” I paused, thinking back to how heroic it was for Dale to save me like that, but then I continued. “Then two more agents came out of the hotel and handcuffed the man. That was it.”

The sheriff had acknowledged my blush and looked at Dale out of the corner of his eye. He then focused back on me. “Thank you Carrie. Now, we have an identification on the man. His name is Jacob Samuel. He’s a well-known conspiracy theorist and doesn’t believe that you are here for the right reasons.”

I frowned, wondering why someone would think that.

“He basically thinks that you came here to sabotage our universe.” Sheriff Truman looked at me with sympathy. “It appears he was working alone though, so you should be safe now.”

I relaxed a little. I looked at Dale who also appeared relieved. I was glad this incident appeared unique and that this man worked alone. Now we could move on and rest easy.

Dale spoke up, “Thank you Harry for looking into this.”

“We’re just glad you were there, Coop.” Sheriff Truman replied. “I don’t know about the two of you, but I’m hungry. I’ll have Lucy order us some burgers. Sound good?”

I smiled and nodded, as did Dale.

“Oh, Cooper, I’ve got Andy cleaning my gun. Want him to do yours as well?” The sheriff held out his hand towards Dale.

“That would be fantastic.” Dale replied, smiling, and pulled his gun from his holster and handed it to the Sheriff. “Tell him thank you.”

Sheriff Truman nodded and left the room.

I relaxed into the chair. “I feel better now.”

“Me too,” Dale replied. “And I’m glad you’re ok.” He looked at me sincerely.

\---

The burgers arrived and we feasted on them, Dale, the sheriff, Lucy and I. We chatted like old friends and eventually all sat back in our chairs, bellies full.

Dale stretched in his chair. “Well, Carrie and I’d better head back before it gets dark.” He stood up and slipped on his trench coat.

I stood up with him and we made our way towards the door. “Thanks for dinner.” I said, cheerily. “It was delicious.”

“Anytime Carrie. You’re always welcome here.” Sheriff Truman replied.

“Have a nice evening,” Dale said as we walked out the door and into the parking lot. 

We got to the car and I had to squeeze between ours and another car that had parked too close.

“Arghh…” Dale said from the other side of the car. “My gun. Andy still has it…hang on, let’s go back inside Carrie.”

I turned around to follow him, but just as I was about to clear the car next to us, the door swung open and I felt two strong hands grab me. One held my arms and the other covered my mouth so that I couldn’t scream. The hands pulled me into the car, even as I fought with all of my strength. A few gurgled screams escaped my mouth and I saw Dale turn around. His eyes grew wide and he reached for his gun, but it wasn’t there. He started towards the car I’d been pulled into, but the tires started to screech and we were already moving. I felt hands holding me down, and out the back window, I saw the look of pure panic in Dale’s eyes and I could barely hear him yell my name. He started to run, trying to catch up to us, but our car was so much faster. He quickly turned around, headed back to his car, and heard him yell “Harry! My gun!”

He was grabbing for his car door handle when something large and solid struck the back of my head, and then everything went black.


	18. Chapter 18

When I woke up, I didn’t open my eyes right away. I felt nauseous, and the back of my head felt bruised. I instinctively tried to feel it with my hand, but I couldn’t. I realized that my hands were tied behind my back.

My eyes flew open. I immediately took in my surroundings. I appeared to be in a small cabin. I was on the ground, leaned up against a wooden support pillar and my hands were tied around it with twine behind me.

I immediately tried to yell but realized my mouth had been stuffed with some type of fabric that was held there by another piece of twine tied around my head.

I looked around, frantically, remembering what had happened right before I was knocked out. Remembering Dale’s terrified face as he saw me driven away, helpless. Who had taken me? Where was I?

I struggled at the twine that held my wrists behind me. It dug into my skin as I pulled against it.

“I wouldn’t even bother trying.”

I jumped at the voice from behind me. Craning my neck, I saw a man walk around the perimeter of the room, coming to stand in front of me. He was middle-aged and short in stature. I’d never seen him before.

“Comfortable?” He asked, with a smile on his face. I struggled at my restraints again and he laughed. “Probably not as comfortable as you were in Cooper’s arms the other night. Yes?”

I stared, wide-eyed at him. How did he know about that?

“Too bad he couldn’t be here for you this time.” He rubbed his hands together, grinning. “Ooh this must be killing him…” He stopped abruptly and looked towards me again. “Oh, I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. How rude of me.” He placed his hand on his chest. “My name is Windom Earle. Pleased to meet you Carrie.”

I gasped through the fabric in my mouth.

“Ah, you’ve heard of me, have you?” He came closer to me and I instinctively tried to shrink away. “Well then you probably know why you’re here?” He paused, teasingly waiting for an answer, knowing full well that I couldn’t. “Cooper takes my woman, and I take his.” He placed his hands together, a manic smile crossing his face, content with his words. Then his face moved closer to mine. “And you sure are a pretty one. He chose well.” He traced his finger over a stray strand of hair falling around my face.

I twisted my head and struggled at the twine once again, trying to figure out if I could slip my hands out of the loops. But it was no use. I stopped moving again. Windom was watching me. “You quite finished yet? I told you it’s not worth trying.”

He backed up and sat down at a desk in the center of the room, but still facing me. “I suppose you’d like to know how I found out about you two?” He grinned.

I glared at him.

He gestured towards a dark corner of the room. “I think you’ve met Agent Jim?” 

From the darkness appeared the figure of Jim, the agent who had watched me at the diner while Dale was away. I gasped again.

He took a seat next to Windom silently. My eyes were wide. He was working for Windom Earle this whole time?

Windom spoke again. “So here’s the plan.” He touched the tips of his fingers together. “Now that you’re here in this ‘dimension,’” He used air quotes. “That gate isn’t opening any further. And frankly, I’d prefer it didn’t close. I’d love to take a little trip over the border.” He paused for dramatic effect. “So, to kill two birds with one stone, I figured we’d just kill you now. The gate will stay open, and Cooper will suffer a broken heart for the rest of his days!” He cheerfully laid out his plan.

My hands pulled at my restraints again. I could feel the twine breaking through my skin as I pulled harder.

Windom looked at me with crazy eyes and grinned. “For now, just sit tight…not like you have much of a choice!” He turned to Jim and the contents on the desk as they spoke quietly to each other. I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

I closed my eyes. Dale, please find me. I need you now, more than ever. I’m tucked away in a cabin somewhere. I don’t know where I am. I just need you. Come quickly. I felt completely helpless. The image of Dale watching me in the back window of the car was burned into my brain. All I could do was wait and hope.

My eyes flew open a few moments later when Windom yelled at Jim. “YOU FORGOT THE FILM. GOD, JIM. COULD YOU BE MORE DUMB?...YES GO GET SOME!”

Jim left the cabin abruptly. I noticed it had become completely dark outside. Efforts to find me were likely much more difficult in the dark.

Windom looked at me. “You just earned a few more hours, missy. The film is necessary. We need to make a souvenir for your dear Cooper.” He grinned and turned back to his desk.

I growled into the fabric, the adrenaline coursing through my veins. 

“SHUT UP!” Windom yelled at me.

I growled again, glad to be angering him. Anything to pull him off track. Even if it meant killing me right now before filming….whatever he was going to film…for Dale.

“I SAID SHUT UP!” He yelled again. And then he opened his desk drawer and grabbed a small syringe. “This should shut you up for a while.” He stood up and walked towards me.

I tried to scream as he got closer. I twisted and turned, trying to wriggle free, but the needle made contact with my neck and I soon found myself slipping out of consciousness.


	19. Chapter 19

My eyelids were heavy when I finally woke up. The room was blurry for a moment before it came into focus. It was lighter, the window was lit like it was early morning. My neck was sore from being contorted while I was unconscious. I stretched it gently.

“Ah, she’s up.” I heard Windom say from across the room. “We can get down to business.” Jim was back and they were fiddling with the controls on a large video camera.

With a newfound energy, I struggled at my restraints again. How long had it been? Surely Dale must be looking for me? Would he make it in time? I was starting to worry that he wouldn’t. I wasn’t sure if he had any leads to tell him where I was being held. My heard began to beat rapidly. Was this it? Was this what I was brought here to do? To die?

“Bring the camera over here Jim.” Windom motioned towards me. “Ok Carrie, now is the point where we give Cooper a little taste of his own medicine. No need to struggle. You might as well just enjoy it. Because afterwards, we’re just going to kill you anyway.” He grinned the most evil grin I’d ever seen in my 27 years. “And we’ll get it all on tape for him…”

My eyes grew wide and I started kicking my legs, trying to strike him. But he continued towards me. My entire being was filled with terror as he knelt in front of me. Jim stood in front of us, camera in his hands.

Windom playfully frowned. “Darn, if only Cooper would have been able to enjoy you before I did.”

I struggled with all of my might against the restraints, trying to summon any last bit of strength I had. On the outside I was fighting a battle against this horrific man, but on the inside, I was weeping for the fate that was to befall Dale. I would be gone, but he would be left to feel guilt over my loss. I also thought about the gate. The gate that may never close. What would become of our universes, forever connected? I screamed into the fabric stuffed in my mouth. Barely a mumbled sound came out. Windom reached his hand out towards my face, but before he had a chance to make contact, two piercing bangs rang out through the room. The camera Jim was holding fell to the floor, and so did he, grasping his shoulder. Windom’s face grew shocked and he fell forward in front of me, unmoving. I watched them in disbelief, and then slowly looked up to see Dale standing in the doorway, his gun still pointed at Windom’s motionless body. He looked completely exhausted.

Tears sprung to my eyes and I let out a muffled wail, relieved beyond comprehension to see him standing in the door. I fell slack in my restraints and hung my head, crying.

Dale holstered his gun and ran to me as Sheriff Truman, scrambled in behind him and grabbed Jim, handcuffing him. 

Dale fell to the ground on his knees beside me, taking my face in his hands. “Carrie, oh my God, Carrie…” He tilted my face to look at his and I saw the most terrified look in his eyes. He reached around my head and untied the twine holding the fabric in my mouth. I spit it out and then he untied my wrists. My arms were numb from being held in place for so long, but Dale grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. “Carrie, Carrie, Carrie…” He whispered. I leaned into him, breathing him in.

We stayed like that for a moment. I felt my heartbeat slow down as I realized I was no longer in danger. Windom lay dead in front of us as Dale held onto me, safe in his arms. The warmth of his embrace allowed my body to relax finally.

Soon, Dale leaned back and looked at me. He wiped some disheveled hair from my forehead. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head no.

“Come on, let’s get you away from here.” He said gently. 

Placing one arm behind my back and the other under my knees, he lifted me from the ground easily and carried me out the door. He spoke over his shoulder to Sheriff Truman. “I’m taking her back to the Great Northern. Send Doc Hayward.”

My half numb arm was wrapped around his neck as he carried me to the car. I could feel his strength as he lowered me into the front seat.

He buckled me in and shut the door, walking around to the driver’s side and getting in.

“Where are we?” I asked, breathless.

“Just a few minutes from the Great Northern actually.” He said as he put the car in drive. “I think he expected we wouldn’t think to look for you so close.”

He started down the gravel path that lead from the cabin. He had one hand on the wheel and the other was massaging the spot between his eyes. I just then noticed that his hair was out of place. He looked completely exhausted. He must have been searching for me all night.

I relaxed into the seat. “I’m so glad you found me…”

He didn’t respond for a moment. He was focused intently on the road. “Carrie, I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t find you…” He took a deep breath and let it out.

I wondered if he was frustrated with himself again for letting his feelings get in the way of his work. I studied the side of his face, trying to read his mind.

We pulled into in the hotel and Dale came around to my side of the car and opened the door. He started to put a hand behind my back, but I stopped him gently. “It’s alright, I think I can walk.”

He stepped back instead and held out his hand to me, steadying my body as I got out of the car.

I held onto him as we walked slowly into the building and to our room. He sat me down on the bed and then disappeared into the bathroom. He returned with a cup full of water. He passed it to me and I took it. My arms and hands were no longer numb. As I took a sip, my sleeves slid down my arms a bit, revealing the sores on my wrists from my struggling at the twine restraints. I saw him notice them and he frowned sadly.

I handed him back the cup and he put it on the end table and sat down on the bed beside me. His body turned fully to mine.

He looked at me, concerned. “Are you ok?”

“I’m ok.” I replied softly, staring back at him. “Thank you for finding me…”

I braced myself to watch him struggle again with his inner battle regarding his feelings for me. Instead, he took a deep breath and then took my hands in his. Mine were small compared to his. He looked down at them and brushed his thumbs across my knuckles and then touched the sores gently.

He blinked a few times and then looked up at me. His eyes had welled up. “Carrie, I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

I squeezed his hands, slightly, letting him know I felt for him.

He licked his lips, trying to find words. I watched him silently. He was perfect. Sitting in front of me, hair a mess, tie loose and shirt unbuttoned at the top, sincerity in his eyes, trying to formulate his thoughts.

His eyes were conflicted as he searched my face. I watched as the conflict slowly turned into resolution. He finally opened his mouth to speak. “I can’t deny my feelings any longer. I’ve tried. I just can’t.” He breathed.

My breath caught slightly, hearing these words from him.

He continued. “I’m completely and utterly entranced by you. You’re amazing. You’re so kind and so genuine. You’re beautiful Carrie. So beautiful.”

I felt my eyes begin to well up too.

“I want to know everything about you.” He almost whispered. “I want to spend every moment with you. I’ve never felt this way before. It’s terrifying and wonderful at the same time.”

A tear escaped my eye and trailed down my cheek. 

He lifted his hand and brushed it away and then took my hand in his again. “I wanted to protect you today. I want to always protect you.” He paused. “But not because the government has asked me to.” His hazel eyes bore deeply into mine. “I want to protect you because I care about you more deeply than I could have ever imagined.”

His eyes were thick with emotion. “I love you Carrie.” 

My breath hitched and the rest of the room disappeared around us. “I love you too.” I breathed out, in barely a whisper.

And then he was leaning towards me, a pure expression of love on his face. I closed my eyes and his lips found mine, soft and gentle, filled with emotion. The kiss was deep and tender. His hand found my cheek and he held my face as our lips moved together softly. My heart was filled with euphoria and inexplainable joy as I felt his lips against mine.

What started out as a gentle, sensitive kiss, grew into a passionate embrace, filled with want and need. His lips became more urgent against mine and his hands moved to my hair, running his fingers through it. My arms wrapped around his neck and I sank into the moment. Our pent-up feelings for one another were finally released in this single instant. I felt his tongue trace my lip and I obliged, opening my mouth and tasting him, feeling as though our souls were connected. I could feel his breathing and the warmth of his body as I traced my hands over his shoulders and his arms, basking in our newfound closeness. 

Eventually we slowed, and he pulled his face away from mine, opening his eyes and then never breaking eye contact as he leaned back slightly. A gentle but genuine smile filled his face. I grinned back at him and then placed my hand on his cheek, taking in the view of him, so happy to see him in front of me.

I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against his, breathing deeply, wiling the moment to go on forever. He stroked my arm gently.

In the complete silence of the room, suddenly a beeping sound pierced the air. Dale froze. Our foreheads separated from one another and with both stared down at his pocket, silently. 

We didn’t move for a moment. We simply stared as the beeping filled the room.

Dale looked back up at me and I looked at him, wide eyed, breathing shallowly. I asked, incredulously and in almost a whisper, “What is…?”


	20. Chapter 20

Dale reached into his pocket and pulled out the pager that he’d kept with him the entire time I’d been in Twin Peaks. He turned it over and we both stared blankly at it. The screen was lit up green and it said in large letters, “COMPLETE.”

We didn’t speak for a moment, not understanding what we were looking at.

Then Dale turned his eyes back to me and my mouth hung open for a few seconds before I spoke. “You were my unfinished business?” I asked, incredulously. 

He blinked and looked back down at the pager. “Amazing…” He whispered.

“I can’t believe it, after all this time.” I stared down at his hand. He pressed a button on the pager to silence it. 

Suddenly everything connected in my head and I realized the enormity of the situation. I grabbed his hand and his eyes snapped to mine. My eyes pleaded with his. “I don’t want to leave…” My eyes welled up again and I saw the fear in his. “Oh my God, please, they can’t make me leave.” I crushed my lips into his again, kissing him with deep, painful emotion. He kissed me back with the same ferocity.

When I pulled back, I saw the tears in his eyes. He pushed his misplaced hair back across his head and wiped his hand down his face, trying to make sense of the situation.

He looked at me and then wiped a tear from my face. “Carrie, I don’t know what’s about to happen.” He paused. “But I am going to do everything in my power to keep you here.”

“What can we do?” I asked, realizing that this was no longer in our hands.

“I don’t know.” He whispered, clearly at a loss for words.

I ran my hand through the strands of his hair. That gorgeous dark hair that I had longed to touch for all these months. This hair, those eyes, this face, this soul in front of me who I may have to say goodbye to forever. I couldn’t bear to imagine my life without this completely genuine individual. This genuine individual who loved me. My lower lip quivered. 

“Come here.” Dale pulled me into his chest. His arms wrapped around me and his hand stroked my hair. But he continued speaking. “We have to go speak with Alan, or else he is going to come find us.”

I leaned back and looked at him, wiping my eyes. “What are we going to say to him?”

Dale had a look of determination on his face. “Alan is a good man. He’ll be honest with us.” He stood up and held out his hand to me.

I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to accept the next stage of this journey. But I took his hand and stood up.

We left the room and started down the hallway. My arm grasped his and my other hand clung to his shirt. I would not allow myself to let go of him. I would not be going easily. They would have to force me.

When we reached room 322, Dale took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

“Coop! Nice work!” We stepped inside and Alan was standing on the other side of the room, a large smile on his face. But that smile faded instantly when he saw us. “What’s wrong?”

He obviously saw the state we were in. My eyes red and puffy, Dale’s face sullen, and my small figure clinging completely to his. “Please don’t make me leave…” I whispered.

Alan looked to Dale, shocked. Dale stood tall next to me, but spoke with an exhaustion. “I love her…” He breathed. “Alan, this is a cruel cruel situation.”

Alan looked so confused as his eyes jumped between Dale and I. His eyebrow furrowed. “The gate is closing. What happened right before the pager beeped? What ended up reversing the tear?”

Without a beat, Dale replied evenly. “We confessed our love for each other.”

Alan stared at him for a long moment without speaking. He finally opened his mouth to speak. “My God, Dale…” He slowly lowered himself into the chair behind him, not breaking eye contact with Dale. “This is unexpected…” He looked to me. “Did you…you knew him before all of this…did you have feelings for him before?”

I hesitated, and then nodded slowly. Dale slid his arm around my waist, pulling me close to him.

“Amazing...” Alan mused and looked towards the floor.

“Alan, is there any way she can stay?” Dale’s deep voice pierced the silent room.

Alan looked up. “I’m afraid that is not the plan.” His face was sad.

“But CAN she?” Dale insisted.

Alan put his hand to his chin, deep in thought. Then he pointed towards two other chairs in the room. “Sit.” He instructed.

Dale tugged my waist towards the chairs and we sat down next to each other. He grasped my hand and I held it in my lap.

Alan clasped his hands in front of him and looked at me. “Carrie, as you know, your blood has identifiers that match the blood here in this dimension. It is different from those in yours. It’s just a small difference, but it is enough to be detected.” He took a deep breath. “We believe that you are originally from this dimension.”

I took a breath. This wasn’t exactly surprising information to me, but it was an intense moment, hearing it for the first time as fact. I felt Dale squeeze my hand.

Alan continued. “We believe that at some point in your life – we don’t know when – you passed through a gate unknowingly. However, you had unfinished business here, and you needed to come back to complete it.” He gestured towards Dale. “It appears as though you were destined to meet and fall in love with Dale, and so the gate opened to allow you back to do so.”

Dale and I were silent, waiting to hear what he would say next. When we didn’t say anything, Alan spoke again. “There are two schools of thought on this situation.” He took a deep breath. “The gate is shrinking now. Nothing is going to stop that. On one hand, it could be argued that you should stay here, because this is where you are from originally. But on the other hand – and this is the popular opinion of the officials on the other side – you were pulled to their dimension initially for some reason, and there is belief that you should go back there.”

Dale interrupted him. “But what if she completed what was needed there already and that’s why the gate opened up again? And now she can stay here?”

“That is a valid theory.” Alan replied.

“So can I stay?” I sat up in my chair, eager.

Alan gulped. “The problem is, the other dimension wants you back. They’re very adamant about that. We were too, until this new information is now beginning to change my mind.”

“But can’t I just…not go back?” I asked.

“The problem is, if you don’t go back willingly, they will come to get you…” Alan frowned.

Dale squeezed my hand.

Alan put his hand to his forehead and thought for a moment. “I have one idea, but I don’t know if it will work...”


	21. Chapter 21

Alan leaned forward in his chair. “They are expecting you to come through the gate at any moment now. They have also sensed the gate beginning to close. They also don’t expect you to have any reason to not want to come back. If we stall for long enough, we can send you through the gate at the last minute, and then you might be able to jump back through. We would need to stall long enough that you could jump back at the very last minute, but not long enough that they become skeptical.”

“How do we stall? And how can we be sure that she’ll be able to come back to us?” Dale asked, skeptical.

“We can’t. We cannot be sure that this plan will work.”

I tightened my grip on Dale’s hand. I was ready to do whatever I needed to stay with him, but this plan sounded tricky.

Alan looked at me. “Basically, we have about a half hour before the gate closes, as of right now. They’re expecting you at any time. If we send a note through right now, letting them know you’re on your way, they won’t come looking for you. Then, minutes before the gate closes, you walk through. Stop before you make it all the way through. Remember, the gate exit location varies. If you clear it completely, that portal will cease to exist and you won’t be able to make it to the entrance in time. They see you and relax, and you turn around and come back through right as the gate is closing, sealing them off.”

“Alan, this sounds like there is a lot of room for error. I don’t like that. This puts Carrie in too much danger. There must be another way.” Dale said, concerned.

“Cooper, there is no other way. They want her back. If they have any reason to believe she’s not coming back, they’ll send someone through.” He paused. “In fact, I would assume they’re already planning that right now. We’ve already wasted a half hour. She should be back by now.”

I spoke up. “Even if they send someone through, wouldn’t that person just get locked in this dimension as the gate closes?”

Alan breathed deeply. “If that were to happen, it would be very likely that the gate would either stay open, or open again later on because of the imbalance of one of theirs in our dimension. And then at that point, who knows what they might do.”

I put my hands up. “Then why in the world do they want me back there? If I’m from this dimension, then why do they want me back?” None of this made any sense to me and it was becoming frustrating.

“Carrie, I know this is confusing. The other dimension believes that you were brought there originally for a reason, and that you should stay there. There is a lot of science and data to back up their opinion that we don’t have time to discuss right now.” Alan looked at me sadly.

“But _you_ believe I should stay here?”

“Now that I’ve seen why you were drawn back here, yes, I do.” Alan sighed. “It would make no sense for you to come back here, fall in love, and then be required to leave this place.” He paused. “If we are going to do this, we have to commit to it now.”

I looked up at Dale and he turned to me, fear in his eyes. I turned back to Alan. “Let’s do it.”

“Are you sure, Carrie?” Dale asked, exasperated.

I caressed his hand. “We’ve got to try….I can do this.” But on the inside, I had no idea if I really could.

“No one else can know about this.” Alan said, and my gaze was pulled from Dale. “I’m going to go get the message sent through. Sit tight.” And he stood up and exited the room with purpose.

Dale turned and took my face in his hands. “Carrie, if this works, you will no longer be able to go back. Everyone you know there, you’ll never see them again. Are you sure this is what you want?”

I looked back at him through misty eyes. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.”

He leaned in and placed firm but gentle kiss on my lips. I closed my eyes, burning the memory into my brain, afraid it might soon be all I had.

Just then Alan walked back into the room. “Ahem,” He cleared his throat at the sight of our kiss and we broke apart. “Alright, the message has been sent. They are expecting you in the next few minutes.” He handed me a digital wristwatch. “Carrie, this watch is set to countdown until the gate closes. Wear it on your wrist so that you know exactly when to cross back over. We’ll send you through with about a minute to go. You need to be back through with about 5 seconds to spare. That will ensure that you can pass through safely but also that no one can follow you.”

“Are you sure someone would try to follow her?” Dale asked.

“They would most definitely send someone. Probably someone who they knew still had unfinished business in their dimension. Then they would do everything in their power to bring Carrie with them on their way back.” Alan replied. “It would be a mess.”

“What if someone grabs me on the other side? Or what if I’m half way through when the gate closes?” I asked, picturing my body severed in half.

“We don’t know.” Alan replied, solemnly.

“I don’t like this.” Dale interjected. 

“Dale, it’s all we have.” Alan replied.

Dale ran his hand down the side of my face, his fingers trailing ever so gently.

Alan studied him. “Cooper, I’ve never seen you like this before. This must all be quite real.”

“As real as I’ve ever felt in my whole life.” Dale replied, without pulling his eyes away from me.

I looked down at the watch. The countdown read 16:52.

“We need to get out to the gate.” Alan said. “Remember not a word of this out there. This is between the three of us. Keeping it secret is the only way this has any possibility of working.”

Dale and I stood up and followed Alan out the door. Dale’s arm was wrapped tightly around my waist as we slowly walked down the hallway and stairwell of the Great Northern. I began to have flashbacks from my dream. A slow methodical walk, unaware of the outcome…

We exited through a back door of the hotel and saw a group of scientists surrounding a clearing. The setting was identical to the one I encountered on my way in. My feelings were so different now. Back then, there was the fear of the unknown. Today, I feared that I would have to say goodbye to the man I loved. The man I once had thought to be fictional. The man that I now knew was as real and as wonderful as I could have ever dreamed. 

When we made it to the clearing, I looked down at my watch. It read 7:31.

A few of the scientists and officials patted me on the back for a job well done, congratulating me on my success. But I barely noticed them. My success was not yet finalized. Not until I was in Dale’s arms forever.

Alan stood to the side, watching me. 

When the congratulations were over, I turned to Dale. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead, leaving his lips there for a moment. I closed my eyes, wishing the seconds would pass more slowly.

He took my chin and tilted my head towards his and whispered, so that no one else could hear. “Carrie, whatever happens, know that you have changed me forever. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else. You have opened my eyes to true, genuine love.”

A tear trailed down my cheek. “Don’t say that like it’s so final.” I studied his face in case I never saw It again. His deep hazel eyes, his perfect lips, they stared back down at me in the same way. “I love you Dale. You’re perfect. So perfect. But I refuse to say goodbye.” 

My eyes overflowed and Dale crashed his lips into mine, kissing me with a passion like none other. “I love you Carrie.” He whispered into my lips. There was no time to even notice the scientists and officials who surrounded us, probably surprised by our public display of affection.

When he broke away, he pulled me into a tight embrace and I breathed him in for the last time.

“It’s time.” Alan said quietly next to us.

Dale let go, but before he did, I felt him slip something into my front pocket. I stepped back, still holding his hand. I looked at my watch. 1:34

I looked up at Dale questioningly. He nodded to me, eyes watering.

As I stepped away from him, I held on to his hand for as long as I could. Our fingers were intertwined and I stared into his eyes as I stepped backwards. In a moment of pure emotion, our fingers finally ceased to touch but our hands still extended towards one another. I held his gaze for one more second, and then I looked away. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

Alan patted me on the back and whispered in my ear. “Remember, 5 seconds.”

I walked towards the open space where the gate invisibly stood. Slowly, step by step, I moved forwards. A familiar sensation began to engulf me. My surroundings grew brighter and whiteness started to cloud my vision. I turned my head one last time and saw Dale standing silently, watching me. His figure had become wavy through the veil of the gate. I took a deep breath, turned my head forwards again and took another step.


	22. Chapter 22

Another step forward, and the white fog surrounded me. I knew that at this point, Twin Peaks had completely disappeared behind me. My heart began to beat faster. I felt like I was balancing on the edge of two worlds, teetering between the future in front of me, and the one behind me that I truly wanted. Ahead of me, Dale would become a memory. I would move on from him with a broken heart. I would go back to work, in a world where I am comfortable and safe. But I would live in dimension that wasn’t truly mine, an outcast forever. Behind me, I would look into the face of the unknown. I would learn to live in a world I had never really known, but I would do it with Dale by my side.

The decision was simple. I took a deep breath and another cautious step forward. I began to see the outlines of another forest ahead of me. I summoned up all of my courage to plaster a fake smile on my face and took another step. Looking down at my watch, it read 0:27.

I wanted desperately to look behind me, to see if Dale had disappeared completely. But I knew I had to appear confident. Making sure not to completely clear the boundaries of the gate and the fog that surrounded me, I took one more step forward.

The director saw me first. He stood among the trees and outstretched his arms. “Carrie! Welcome back!”

I didn’t move. I just smiled and looked down at my watch again. 0:17.

His face began to change from joy to confusion. “Come on, Carrie.” He beckoned me forward.

I still didn’t move. His face turned from confusion to skepticism as he realized I wasn’t going to come easily. He was on to me, and I knew it. I had less than 15 seconds separating me from my greatest dreams and my worst nightmare. 

His face became grim and he nodded towards two men standing to the side. They launched at me and I gasped. It was still too early. I couldn’t let them follow me through. I immediately remembered Dale and reached into my pocket and felt something hard and smooth. Realizing what it was, I pulled it out quickly and aimed at the knee of the man closest to reaching me. I pulled the trigger. I’d never shot a gun before, but in this moment of adrenaline, it came easy. A loud bang rang out and the man fell to the ground, clutching his leg. Just as this happened, the other man made contact with me, knocking the gun out of my hand. I frantically looked at my watch. 0:04. He grasped my wrist and for a second, I lost hope. They had me now. I was in their clutch and would never see Dale again. But the surge of sadness sparked a surge of determination in me and I snapped into focus.

With every ounce of my being, I shoved the palm of my free hand up onto his nose and felt his grip loosen for just a split second. In that split second, I squeezed my eyes shut, turned my body and threw myself back towards the gate, as far as I could. 

I made contact with the ground, face first in the leaves, the smell of the earth beneath me.

Everything was silent for seconds, which felt like hours, and I wondered which Earth I had my nose buried in. Was it the Earth of my dreams or of my nightmares?

I slowly lifted my head, afraid of what I might see. As I did, I saw a body kneel down in front of me and I felt firm hands grasping my shoulders and lifting me to a sitting position. It was then that I looked up into the face of the man I loved. Dale stared into my eyes and began to cry the happiest tears. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” He whispered into my hair as he pulled me into him.

“I love you.” I replied, muffled by the fabric of his flannel shirt. I leaned back and looked deeply at him, and then to my feet. “Am I all here?” I asked somewhat comically, wondering if any body parts had been chopped off in the gate.

Dale smiled, “You’re all here. All of you is here to stay.” He kissed my forehead and pulled me into an embrace again.

Everyone around us was running around, chattering, trying to figure out why I was back, but we paid them no attention. We silently embraced until Alan leaned down to us and we looked up at him. “Head back to your room. I need to take care of the situation out here. I’ll come get you when we’re ready to announce what has happened.” He paused and looked right at me. “Oh, and welcome home Carrie.” He smiled.

We stood up together and walked quickly back to our room, arm in arm. Once inside, we both flopped down on the bed. We rolled in towards each other and I smiled at him.

Dale was the first to speak. His hand was tracing up and down along my arm. “I can’t believe all this time it’s been you. I’ve literally been trying to suppress you from your journey the entire time you’ve been here. You had all of the clues you needed.”

I grinned. “I was too embarrassed to even consider it an option. The first time I watched you on my television-“ I laughed at the absurdity, “I felt something for you. But I couldn’t have imagined it would mean this much.” I clasped his hand in mine. “I never want to let go of you.”

Dale extended his neck to kiss me on the forehead and then looked deeply at me. “I’m never going to let you go.” He pulled my body into his. The length of his body pressed into mine. “I’m so proud of you for doing this. You did wonderful.” He paused and nestled his face in my hair. When he spoke again, I could feel the warmth of his breath. “I’m so glad I met you, Carrie.” 

I tilted my head to kiss his warm, inviting lips and spoke softly. “I’m so glad you were my unfinished business.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment and let me know what you liked and what you think could have been improved. I'm curious for feedback!


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